


Nearly Done my Days

by olimakiella



Series: in All the Ways That Matter [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Scott, Beta Derek Hale, Bilingual Derek Hale, Bilingual Peter Hale, Derek Hale Deserves Nice Things, Good Theo Raeken, Leader Derek Hale, Liam is So Done, M/M, Magic-Users, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Mason Hewitt is the friend we all deserve, Mentions of Past Torture, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Reforming Theo Raeken, Scott is a Good Alpha, Scott is a Good Friend, The Beacon Beanery Coffee Shop, Unrequited Love, fight me, liam is trying his best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2020-01-07 15:15:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 49,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18413258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/olimakiella/pseuds/olimakiella
Summary: After Munroe’s siege on Beacon Hills and subsequent exit, the town is finally beginning to return to its version of normal.  With Stiles in FBI training, Scott in college in Sacramento, and the rest of the graduating class of the pack dispersed in colleges of their own, Liam is charged with looking after their territory.  He isn’t doing too bad with help from his own personal Scooby gang.  But then a chance encounter with Theo Raeken at the Beacon Beanery reminds Liam that there are loose ends he created and forgot were still around.  Soon he realises that he doesn’t mind so much tying them up.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Teen Wolf and its characters are the property of MTV and Jeff Davis. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended. Credit goes to the Teen Wolf Wikia for dates and mundane things because I’m a stickler for detail. Also, google maps? You my bro. For realz.
> 
> So, Teen Wolf. I’ve been a lurker in this fandom for a loooong ass time. Always the reader, never the author, as they say. Or is that bridesmaids? Whatever. Please take this as my first foray into the fandom. All the chapters are completed, and I’ll post on a semi regular schedule. The fic will come in two parts and the second part is mostly finished.

**Chapter 1**

The bell above the door rang sharp and clear as Liam entered the coffee shop.  He counted the notes and change in his hand that Mason had given him as he rubbed his eyes and sighed.  The prep for Mason’s pre-college programme assignments was murder. Liam wasn’t even the one who had to do them, but Mason was taking advantage of the people he knew, and of what they knew in turn.  For the first time, Liam was beginning to dislike History and understood what his stepfather had been telling him all along. ‘ _Do what you love or it’ll just become what you do_.’ He sighed again and looked up to try and find the order both Corey and Mason had sent him for on the menu board.

He couldn’t find them, and squinted when nothing looked similar.  So, when he stepped up to the counter, Liam called out the first iced-coffee that he could pronounce on the board and any coffee that had chocolate in it because Mason was a sucker for it, always had been.  He thought of the torture he had to return to and debated whether it was worth getting a six-shot espresso for the three-minute caffeine high. Most baristas didn’t do that, he knew. This was Beacon Hills though, where everyone _knew_ about supernatural creatures now.  He could give it a shot. ‘ _Shot_.’ Liam chuckled at his internal thoughts as his order was repeated.

He then promptly stopped thinking at all.  Liam turned his head slowly to the man behind the cash register, noticing him for the first time.

“You going to pay me, Dunbar, or should we hold up the line some more?”

Theo Raeken was looking at him with that same, _You’re an idiot_ ™, look he gave pretty much anyone who crossed his path.  It seemed as if he’d been looking at Liam for a while and following the asinine trail of thought through Liam’s college-pre-assignment-exhausted brain.  In reply, Liam’s brain screeched to an almighty halt.

“What are you doing here?” was all that was left.

Theo rolled his eyes.  “Making coffee for free, apparently.  Seven-twenty, Liam.” He spoke with exaggerated patience, as if he’d repeated it more than once already.

Liam jumped as if startled and finally remembered the coins in his hand.  He stared at them, trying to remember what he’d totalled it to before and if he’d be able to add it up again.  In front of him, he heard a sigh. “Wow. You’re the first person I’ve seen who actually _needs_ this shit. Which says something, considering.”  He proceeded to scoop the notes and change out of Liam’s hand, took what he needed and placed the rest on the counter in a haphazard stack. “Too bad it does nothing for you.”

Before Liam could reply, a dark-haired man came up behind the counter.  “Theo. A word.”

The way Theo tensed made Liam wary.  He watched in silence as Theo closed the cash register drawer and turned around.  “There are customers.”

The man shook his head.  “Anna can get them when she’s done with the order.  A word, please.” It was said politely, but it was clearly anything but a request.  Liam heard Theo let out a near silent breath. Theo shared a look with him as he took the receipt that he’d torn off and handed it over.  Liam watched as Theo followed the man into a backroom that read ‘Employees only’.

Moving to the side to get out of the way of the other customers behind him, Liam leant on the counter under the ‘Order Collection’ sign.  He was watching the young woman named Anna, but his mind was on Theo. Days after Munroe took off, Theo had stuck around the pack less and less until he’d disappeared completely.  That was a month ago. Now it was late July and school was starting up again soon. At the sound of a muffled, raised voice, Liam couldn’t help but pick up the conversation happening behind the closed door.

“ _Then maybe I shouldn’t work here if you don’t think it’s worth it.  The pay is shit anyway._ ”

“ _The pay is shit because I can’t even pay you minimum wage.  You’re dead. I was doing you a favour, even paid you out of pocket, but if you don’t want to be here, the door is over there._ ”

Seconds later, a door slammed.  Likely the back door that led to the alley around back.  

“Here you are.  Sorry for the wait.”  Liam’s attention snapped to the cardboard tray moulded around the cups holding his order.

Liam smiled thankfully as he took the tray from Anna and backed up.  “I-it’s okay. Thanks.” He rushed out of the shop and looked up and down the street.  The back door would take Theo to his left, which led to an alleyway, so Liam went that way and managed to catch the tail end of Theo as he turned the corner on the other end.  

‘ _Theo just quit his job._ ’ An admittedly shit job, but a job nonetheless.  ‘ _Theo’s been working as a barista,_ ’ Then ran through Liam’s mind before his mind’s thought trail paused.  ‘ _Barista. Baristo?_ ’ He shook his head to clear it. ‘ _Totally barista. I think._ ’ The whole situation was surreal.  Liam looked around as he power-walked up the street now. He was able to catch up and surreptitiously follow Theo eight blocks to another alley, stopping dead when he saw what lay in wait.

“That’s your car?  There are bullet holes in it!” he exclaimed incredulously looking at Theo for answers.

Theo looked around to see Liam behind him.  His eyes tracked past the boy to the mouth of the alley to see if anyone was behind him.  There wasn’t. Odd, that. “Yeah, the bullets were a bitch to get out, I can tell you.” He cocked his head to the side.  “Do you not remember me telling you I got shot at and tortured?” He hit the open key on the car remote in his hand to round out the deadpan of his sarcasm.

Liam stared as Theo opened the back door.  Yes, Liam did remember, though he hadn’t particularly cared at the time.  Then, when all the fighting was done, after their team-up where they’d worked - admittedly - pretty damned well, and he’d finally taken notice, Theo was just... gone.

“You disappeared,” he said, voicing his thoughts.

Theo paused the digging around he was doing in a bag and actually turned around to look at Liam.  “Did I?”

Liam frowned.  He hadn’t noticed?  “You’ve been gone for weeks.”

Theo laughed emptily and shook his head.  He turned back to his truck and pushed his rucksack as far under the seat as it would go.  “Weeks.” He shook his head again, seemingly coming to a decision and got in the driver’s seat of his truck, slamming the door shut.

Mindful of the coffee, Liam reached forward and opened the door.  “Where’ve you been, Theo?”

Theo stared at his open door before raising his eyes to give Liam his other trademarked look, the _There’s something seriously wrong with you_ ™, gaze.  “I’ve been in Beacon Hills,” he said as if that were obvious. He turned the key in the ignition, putting down the window as soon as the car was on.  He then tugged his door out of Liam’s grasp and shut it, locking it for good measure this time.

Liam was still computing Theo’s words. “What?”

Theo sighed.  “I never left.  I didn't disappear, I didn't _go_ anywhere. I’ve been here working, for less than fucking minimum wage, because I don’t exist.”  His fingers tapped on the steering wheel. Chancing a glance, he recognised Liam’s expression, matching it to ‘upset’ and rolled his eyes.  “Don’t know why you look so upset. It’s what you all wanted, right? I’m just getting what I deserve,” he muttered bitterly.

Liam was shaking his head before Theo even finished his sentence.  “This is not what I wanted.”

Another heaved sigh.  “Liam… what _do_ you want?”

Liam weighed his options there.  “Where are you staying?” he asked instead.

He was answered with a cocked eyebrow, a vague gesture out the windscreen and an, “Around.”

Liam frowned.  That meant absolutely nothing when it came to Theo Raeken.  “Around where?”

An eye roll the likes of Stiles’ was his response. “Oh my g- _around_ , Liam. Why?  You worried about me?” Theo baited.

“Maybe.”  When Liam’s gaze fell to the ground, Theo paused and had to look away.  Liam was easy to rile, and riling him up was always fun. But, when he got quiet, like this, it made Theo’s stomach flip just looking at him.

“Don’t be,” he soothed.  When the beta looked up at him, he continued, “Okay? I can look after myself.”

Liam’s gaze moved to the truck, focused on all the bullet holes.  There were scratches in spots where it was obvious claws had caught on the metal trying to pry the bullets out.  “Doesn’t look like it.”

Hands tightened on the steering wheel.  “I will drive away,” he threatened. “Right now.”

“Theo-”

“Okay, look,” Theo interrupted, “This?” His hand swept around Liam’s profile, gesturing to the boy with frustration. “This is why I left.  I stuck around for while thinking it would get better. I risked my life for you people, and for a while, it was okay.”  He huffed in annoyance. “Then I found myself being told to _stay_ places, be _within viewing distance_. _Monitored_ , like - what the fuck?  It took me a hot minute to realise I wasn’t trusted. Never would be.” Theo shook his head. “I’m not your prisoner anymore, I don’t need a babysitter - I’m older than the lot of you that Scott left behind to go save the western supernatural world.  And I’ve been to hell once already, I don’t need the highlights of that shit again.” Living with the scrutiny of them all watching him and judging him. Like they had decided he couldn’t change and that was it, even after all he’d done to try and change their minds.

“I’m sorry.”

That big-eyed puppy-dog look had made Theo waver before, back in the thick of it when it seemed like he was living solely to save Liam Dunbar’s life at every opportunity.  He wouldn’t waver again. “Well it’s nice that you’re sorry, Liam. Are you done?”

That sounded a lot like Theo was gearing up to leave.  “There’s somewhere you can go. You don’t have to sleep in your car.”

Theo closed his eyes, praying for patience.  “There is nowhere I can go.”

“We could take you in!”  The frown those words produced made Liam backtrack.  “Or - or Derek could take you.” He stopped. ‘ _Should probably ask the man first._ ’

Theo didn’t seem to like the sound of that either.  “Take me in?” he spat. “I’m not a fucking stray, Liam, and I don’t need your charity.”  The truck was put in gear signalling the end of the conversation.

Liam stepped back, realising he’d gone too far.  “Okay. Well, the offer is open if you want to think it over.”

Theo rolled his eyes one last time, and drove out of the alley.

***

The cardboard tray of drinks was set down hard on the dining table in Mason’s home.  Both Mason and Corey looked up at him from among the spread of paper and textbooks.

“You look bothered,” Corey said reaching across for his drink.

“I saw Theo.”  The two paused.  “He was working in the coffee shop.”

Mason actually stopped typing.  “Theo works at the ‘ _Beacon Beanery_ ’?”

Liam shook his head.  “Not anymore. He just got fired.”  He paused. “Or quit.” He shook his head.  “But mostly fired.” He sat down still staring at them, ignoring the look they shared with each other.  “He’s living out of his car like a hobo.” He thought on all the empty cartons and the clothes he saw spread over the backseat that Theo had tried to hide by digging for something non-existent in a rucksack.  

Mason cocked his head to the side.  “Hobos don’t generally have cars. Or any kind of wheels, to be honest.”

“Shopping carts,” Corey suggested helpfully.  “There’s a guy by the hardware store that lives in the alley.  His cart’s always full of cardboard boxes and old radios.” He took a sip of his drink through the straw and made a face.  He looked at the cup in confusion.

Liam’s head was volleying back and forth during the tangent.  He shook his head to clear it. “Guys!” he said trying to get them to focus. “His car is full of bullet holes!”  That got him some silence. “He got captured by Monroe, tortured with electricity before he came to help us.  Then, when it was all over, he just… went back to it.”

“He’s driving around with a car full of bullet holes?  Isn’t that a hazard?” Corey made another face when he took another sip.

Liam shrugged.  “No one seems to have told him about it.  The glass was busted out, but he’s been working at the coffee shop long enough that he was able to replace them I guess.”  He vaguely remembered busted out windows while driving around two months ago.

Mason made a considerate expression. “I suppose a couple holes is less of a priority than gaping open windows.”

Liam dropped his head in his hands and shut his eyes.  “I don’t know what to do.”

Mason opened up his drink to stare into the cup.  “What can you do? Did he ask you for help?”

Liam shook his head.  “No. We talked for a while?”

“Mmm,” Corey hummed knowingly sipping on his drink, “is that why my smoothie is warm?” he asked.  “And…not a smoothie?"

“And my coffee is cold?” Mason said, chipping in with a meaningful stare.  “And also not a smoothie?”

Liam raised his hands incredulously.  “Oh my - you guys,” he exclaimed, letting them drop again. “I need to figure something out!”

Mason put the lid back on his coffee.  “Why? If he doesn’t want your help then won’t any attempt to go after him be a waste of time?  He’ll likely tell you where to go.” Mason sat back. “Instead, why don’t you help me? There’s a whole history portion of this pre-school work that I have yet to complete before we go back and once I get into my AP classes, I’m not going to be able to do it all at once.”

Liam was staring into the middle distance.  Corey burst out into laughter, which broke him from his thoughts.  “Wow, you were actually thinking about Theo during that whole appeal for help.”  He chuckled some more and crossed his arms on the table. “Look, Harry Potter,” he said amused as he stretched a hand across the table to rest on Liam’s forearm.  “If you want to help Draco so bad, go do what most betas would do.” He lay his hands flat on the table this time and leaned forward a little to make sure Liam was looking at him.  “Call your alpha,” he stressed.  
  
Mason hummed thoughtfully.  “Would Scott be Dumbledore in that scenario?”  
  
Liam gave him a deadpan look. When it looked like Corey was gearing up to answer, Liam stopped him.  “That’s not funny.”  
  
Corey cocked an eyebrow.  “Really? Cos it looks like you’re a helluva lot obsessed with the dude right now, as you have been since he disappeared.”  
  
Liam slumped in his chair.  “I just didn’t know he was back.”  
  
Corey shrugged.  “Okay. Neither did any of us.  How about you help out Hermione here before she explodes from ‘not knowing things’?” He gestured with air quotes.  
  
Mason looked up and across at his boyfriend.  “How am I Hermione?”  
  
“Smartest witch of our age,” Corey said with a sweet smile.  “Plus, of all of us, I’d say you were the _most muggle_.”  
  
“What about Nolan?”  They all turned to the boy sound asleep on the couch.  He’d pulled a night shift at the hospital as a clerk, where he was working during the summer. Hours ago, he near crawled in saying he was delighted to help Mason out with his pre-college work, and promptly passed out on Mason’s couch minutes later.  
  
Corey pulled his gaze away.  “He can’t be Hermione. You’re supposed to be Ron, as the best friend, but I’m not that smart so we have to switch. So, I’m Ron Weasley.”  He gave a smug grin. “And only I’m allowed to tap that.”  
  
Rolling his eyes, Liam groaned, “Oh my God.” He stood up and moved away from the dining table as the two began to smile at each other suggestively.

“I can help with the holes.”

Liam swung around from where he was passing the couch to get to the kitchen.  “What?” He watched as Nolan sat up, rubbing at his eyes. “How long have you been awake?”

“Somewhere around ‘cardboard boxes and radios’?”  He shook his head at the couple seated at the dining table.  “My dad is a straightener. He has a shop in town.” He shrugged.  “Can probably get a discount rate.” Liam tapped his fingers against his thigh in thought.  Theo may respond to the concept of a discount.

***

A discount however, meant nothing if Theo didn’t even want to consider it, which turned out to be the case a week later when he managed to track the Chimera down again.

“No,” Theo said vehemently and stormed back to the driver’s side of his truck.

Liam turned back and forth from Theo to Nolan and his father, the latter of which looked like he expected this turn of events.  “Theo, wait!” He put a hand on the truck as he rounded it and grabbed hold of the steering wheel before Theo could put his key in.  He’d _just_ managed to get him here, dammit. “What the hell is wrong with you?” he said through gritted teeth.

“ _Me_?” Theo emphasised and shook his head. He took in a deep breath with his jaw clenched, the air hissing through his nose with the effort to stay calm.  “I’m not staying here, I’m not leaving my truck here and I’m sure as hell not letting _him_ touch it.” He was glaring out of his windscreen, the growl in his words barely held back.

Confused, Liam’s gaze switched between the pair until he realised Theo wasn’t glaring at Nolan.  Which, why would he? He hardly knew Nolan. Liam focused on Nolan’s dad, since Theo did seem to know him instead.  “Why not?” When there was silence, Liam turned back to Theo. Yeah, still glaring.

His answer didn’t come from Theo, though the chimera growled low when the answer came.  “Because I’m one of the men who shot at it.” Liam turned to see Nolan’s father stepping out into the sun, his guilty expression far more present than before.  Behind him, Nolan’s mouth was open in shock. “At him,” the man clarified.

Next to him, from behind the wheel, Theo gestured out with his hands as if to say ‘see what I mean?!’  His expression sobered, however, when he noticed the white-knuckled grip Liam seemed to be getting on his steering wheel.  “Er, Liam?”

“You shot at his truck?”  The words were quiet, but serious.  Theo could hear Liam’s breathing change, how it became focused and purposeful.

“‘Fraid so, son.” Nolan’s father said in a conciliatory tone.  But, if anything, Liam’s grip tightened.

“Liam, no-”

“ _You_ were part of the group that shot at him, captured him and had him electrocuted for hours?” Now Liam was the one showing maximum effort in staying calm.

‘ _And there go the beta eyes_.’  “Liam. I’m fine, but my truck won’t be if you don’t let go.”  He put a hand over the werewolf’s tight grip and another over his wrist.  “Let it go, Liam. It’s over.” Liam turned to Theo, still breathing long, deep and even.  How funny it was that Theo, who’d been fit to commit homicide moments ago, was now calming him down so Liam didn’t do the exact same thing.  He shut his eyes, resting his forehead against the metal of the truck by the driver’s window. “Still working on that anger, huh?” he heard softly in his ear and his head shot up.  Eyes fading back to normal, he looked at Theo, startled, only to see the Chimera smile. “Good to see you’re getting a better hang of it. You wanna stop denting my steering wheel now?” he said wryly, his eyes gesturing momentarily to Liam’s fist.

Liam cast a quick glance to where his hand still gripped the reinforced plastic and let it go.  He winced when he saw the indented finger marks there. “I’m sorry.”

Theo sighed.  “Better it than him,” he said quietly and Liam once again couldn’t quite move his gaze from the man in the truck, but Theo was simply looking out his windscreen at the pair of humans watching them warily.

“I’m sorry,” Liam said again, equally as quiet.  “I didn’t know. I swear I didn’t know.”

Theo gave him a self-deprecating smile.  “Kinda figured by your reaction, Dunbar.”  He huffed a single breath in humour at the situation.  “We done here? Can I go now?” Theo said, his tone resigned.

Liam felt a flash of panic and shook his head, not wanting Theo to go, but not knowing how else he could keep him there.  Liam was so close to finding Derek. Scott had told him to call Stiles, but the human was in training with the FBI so it was difficult to get a hold of him lately.  He just needed Theo to stay put for a day or two more. “You’ll do it for free,” he said out loud in sudden inspiration, calling over to Nolan’s father.

Nolan’s father’s back became ramrod straight and his eyes narrowed.  “Excuse me?”

Letting go of the side of Theo’s truck, Liam curled his hands into fists and stared the man down.  “I said you’ll do it for free. You, as part of a group of vigilantes, took a shotgun to a _minor_ in an alleyway sleeping in his truck.  Once you incapacitated him, you strung him up to a wire fence, and had a ex-employee of a mental institution wet him down and electrocute him.”  He saw the pale countenance of the man’s face turn almost green. “I don’t care if he is supernatural. Two of the other children you strung up were murdered after that and he is the witness that could put you in jail.  Know why? Because the FBI were involved and the FBI also happens to be my alpha’s father.” He shoved his hands in his jeans pockets. “So. You’ll do it. And you’ll do it for free.”

The man swallowed and, after a long pause, eventually nodded shallowly, turning back to clear the way so Theo could drive in.  When Liam made his way back to the truck, Theo was out of his truck watching him with impressed eyes.

“My hero.  You want a favour or something?”

“I want to know where you’re staying.  This will probably take a few days.”

Theo looked contemplative as he watched Nolan and his dad move things around.  “I’ll find somewhere.”

“You could - you could stay with me?” he offered again.

Theo looked like he was about to smile but shook his head instead.  “I’m good. Always find a way to survive.” He took out his keys and began digging around in the back, filling a satchel.  “Here.” He handed Liam the key. When Liam looked like he was about to question him, he simply shook his head. “I can’t -” He paused and tried again. “You did well with your anger, Liam.” He closed Liam’s fingers around the keys he’d placed in the boy’s palm.  He took a quick look inside the shop at the man who was directing his son on what to move around so Theo could drive in. “I’m still working on mine.”  His voice, even as he spoke, sounded like a raspy growl and he swallowed before shutting his eyes and looking away. “I’ll stop by tomorrow, see how long it’ll take.  Look after her for me?”

Liam held onto the keys and nodded.  When he looked up, Theo was gone.

***

“ _You got Nolan’s father to fix Theo’s truck for free?_ ” came the amused voice over the Skype connection.

Liam shrugged.  “He helped to ruin it in the first place.  It’s the least he could do.”

Scott was smiling fondly.  “ _And now he’s gone again? And that’s a... bad thing?_ ”  Scott still looked amused at Liam’s put out look. “ _All things considered, it looks like I left the right wolf in charge after all.  You still think it’s too much responsibility_?”

“Yes!”  Liam threw himself back onto his pillows.  The house was empty, everyone at work while he sat around in his room during the last dregs of the summer vacation.  “I still don’t know what to do. I’ve been calling Stiles’ phone, but he’s not answering.”

Scott’s brows furrowed in thought.  “ _He’s probably leaving it behind so it doesn’t ring while he’s in training classes.  I have another number for him-_ ”

Liam sat up again.  “Gimme!”

Scott gave him a look.  “ _He said not to use it unless someone was dying, maimed, on fire or the world was ending or otherwise fucked_ ,” he listed.

That...sounded very extreme, and exactly like something that Stiles would say.  Human Stiles may be, but his wrath could be distinctly supernatural. He didn’t fault Scott for his reticence. “Scott. This is my responsibility. I brought him back to help with the hunt. I have to do something. Do you know another way? Because I’m out of options and if you know of one, I’ll take it. Immediately,” he tried, coming at it from another angle.

Scott sighed over the connection, his face looking troubled.  Again, Liam didn’t blame him. The scolding he’d get from Stiles was likely to be epic.  “ _I don’t._ ” Scott looked up over the computer he was using and nodded. “ _Okay, I have to go, but I’ll message you the number, okay?_ ”  Liam nodded. “ _Listen, Liam. It sounds like you’re doing a really good job there on your own. You got Theo the help he needed, and he moved on.  You shouldn’t feel bad about that. I’ll talk to you soon._ ”  His expression was encouraging.

Liam gave him a small smile.  “Yeah.  Thanks, Scott.”

When the call disconnected, Liam closed the lid of his laptop and covered his face with his hands.  He’d last seen Theo two weeks ago when Nolan’s dad gave them a time frame, though most of the time was spent waiting for the order of paint from Toyota.  In the time it took for the paint to arrive, Mr Simmons had managed to patch all the holes and sanded down the layers to prime it. The ‘Dark Blue Metallic’ paint was barely dry, according to him, when Theo had turned up out of the blue to ask if it was done and left with it.  Before Liam could ask where he went, the man had laid out a disclaimer that if the paint job went bad, he wasn’t to blame. Liam had rolled his eyes and left.

Days later, he still hadn’t heard from Theo.  Liam had even gone to the Sheriff, only to find out that up to two weeks ago, Theo had been located off and on, for over a month now, sleeping in his car.  The deputies, who were waking Theo up to move on every other day, were getting tired of finding him. Liam had let them know that Theo finally got his truck back and asked sheepishly when they next found Theo, if they would call him instead so he could get the man relocated for good.  

A ping on his phone had Liam looking down to see the secret ‘You better be on fire, Assholes!’ contact that Stiles obviously programmed into Scott’s phone himself.  He saved it to his contacts, took a deep breath, and braced himself.

***

“Stilinski. Hey-” A hand nudged Stiles’ shoulder. “-Stiles. Your phone’s vibrating.”

Stiles turned away from the poker game he was dominating in to narrow his eyes at the rucksack behind him that was, now that he was focusing on it, making the tell tale sound of vibration.  He put down his cards and rifled through it until he found his phone - the one he never left behind - and read the unknown number that - huh - it looked familiar. “Hello?”

“ _Stiles!  Stiles, oh my god, I need your help!_ ”

Stiles frowned.  That wasn’t Scott.  That sounded more like- “Liam?” The urgent tone made Stiles get up from the table.  Thank goodness they weren’t doing anything pressing, having just solved the case exercise their SO had given them as a challenge for time off.  Speaking of, Stiles looked up as the woman came back into the room from her bathroom break. She cocked an eyebrow at him on the phone and he nodded at her before refocusing on Liam’s rambling.  “Whoa, whoa! Calm down, Babywolf. What’s happened?” He paused. “How did you even get this number?”

There was a pause.  “ _Scott gave it to me._ ”  Liam sounded like he wasn’t so sure he should have given that information up so easily.

Stiles ran a hand down his face as he mentally shook his head at Scott.  “Oh my g – I gave him this number for emergencies – is this an emergency?  What the hell happened, I’ve only been gone for, like, six weeks.”

“ _It’s Theo_.”

Stiles waited and then narrowed his eyes when nothing else followed.  “... Are you serious?” he deadpanned. “I’m hanging up.”

“ _No! No, Stiles, please I-_ ” Liam sounded winded. “ _He just lost his job, he’s living out of his car, I don’t know how he’s even eating and he won’t talk to me.  Won’t let me help._ ”

Stiles sighed.  Last he’d heard Theo was staying with Liam. How did he end up on the streets?  Since Munroe, everyone’s opinion on Theo had altered slightly, but that didn’t mean they liked or trusted him enough to go out of their way for him.  Liam seemed to take that role on all by himself and Stiles had wished him luck, knowing he wouldn’t be surprised if the amount of care Liam put into it backfired. But Liam was making the situation sound bad and the beta didn’t seem to be taking it well. “Have you asked Scott?”

“ _Yeah_ ,” Liam sounded sad now, like he was pouting.

When nothing else came, Stiles shut his eyes, holding back his sigh. “And what did he say, Liam?” he asked, leading the conversation.

There was another short pause on the line.  “ _He said to call you_.”

Stiles rolled his eyes heavenward, his hand reaching up to drag down his face again.  “Of course he did,” he muttered. Sometimes, he could strangle Scott. “Liam, look – I’m really failing to see how this is my problem.”

“ _I know. Believe me, I get it. But I really need your help here.  I don’t know how to help him and he doesn’t have anyone else.  Theo’s unpredictable and that’s dangerous in the right circumstances.  He’s my responsibility. You said that if something went wrong, to just make sure it wasn’t my fault.  I don’t know what he’ll do_.” There was a pause on the line. “ _Do you think – do you think he’d go to Derek?  Would Derek even take him?_ ”

Stiles took in a deep breath at that question.  Theo had shown signs of being... different, if not completely a dick anymore and most of that had centred on Liam’s influence.  But if he’d been going off on his own... Stiles knew first-hand how dangerous and unpredictable Theo could be, reformed or not.  He finally let forth the sigh of a man with far too many troubles. And those troubles were throwing his wisdom back in his face. “I did say that, didn’t I?” he admitted. God dammit.  “Fine. _Fine_. I’ll make a call. But I don’t want to hear about this again,” he warned, finger pointing at nothing, but reprimanding all the same. “If I have to come back there to hear about this, you’ll…” He couldn’t even think of what he’d do. “Oh _so much trouble_ , Liam,” he settled on. “Don’t call me on this number again unless someone is dying, or one of you is, at least, on fire.  You hear?”

Liam sounded relieved, like he couldn’t believe this worked.  Stiles scoffed. Neither could he. “ _Yeah, totally_ ,” the beta said, eager to agree now he’d got what he wanted.

Stiles shook his head.  “Alright, I’ll call you.”

“ _Thank you, Stiles_.”

“Don’t mention it, Babywolf.”  Stiles hung up and rested the phone at the bridge of his nose, shutting his eyes and breathing out to calm himself down.  He shook his head. ‘ _Never having teenagers, don’t care how much dad asks._ ’

He turned around to see the group of interns and his supervisor watching him.  “You have a kid, Stilinski?” his SO, Carter Price, asked as soon as he met her gaze.  “Since when?”

Stiles struggled to find words to address his favourite senior officer. He’d loved her the second he heard her name.  Declared her as his favourite no matter what she did and insisted on calling her Agent Carter, even when she threatened him with warnings.  Three weeks in, when he noticed she’d reprimanded everyone else with written warnings and suspensions, he realised he seemed to be the only one she actually allowed to call her that. In his defence, Stiles had manned up and asked her if she really wanted him to stop and she’d shrugged. She said it was different when he did it, because she could tell it wasn’t him making fun, it was hero worship and that, she didn’t mind.  “Oh n-”

“You called him ‘Babywolf’. Aren’t you a bit young to have children, Stilinski?” Stiles looked at Sarah, who had a Red Vine in her mouth.  All of the group were now looking at him as if they’d never seen him before and Stiles, once again, vowed to strangle Scott the next time he saw him.  He’d worked hard to appear normal to these people. All the training they’d been in, he’d aced all of it and they admired that he was still a bit accident prone and socially awkward.  He was fine with it. Now though? Secret children? Jesus H. Christ.

A sharp sudden memory came to Stiles’ mind as he remembered being in his supervisor’s office two days ago and looking at all the pictures she had of her kids.  “No - er, it’s more of a foster situation really.” The woman seemed unapproachable when you first met her, but there were pictures of her outside of rec centres playing basketball with kids in her hometown.  Stiles took a chance on that. “Our hometown has had a series of unfortunate incidents the last couple of years. A group of us, when we were in high school, got together to form an outreach programme of sorts that helped the kids affected get the help they need.”  He saw her nod sympathetically. “Liam is a teenager, bit younger than me and… well, we recently had a situation where this woman came into town preaching about cleansing it of ‘dangerous individuals’.”

He went through the story Scott’s dad had helped them come up with. “And bunch of townspeople went a bit nuts, actually believed in what she was saying, started buying up a whole load of illegal weapons to ‘patrol’ around town.  Lots of kids got hurt. Some of their parents were caught in the crossfire. It was messy. Then we all had to go to college and Liam was left behind to lead the charge so to speak.”

Sarah sat forward.  “Whoa, you’re from Beacon Hills?  I heard about that. A lot of contraband was confiscated.  Heard she got away.” Stiles nodded, his grip tightening on his phone.

“That why you’re here?”  He looked up at Taylor, the tall blond drink of water that reminded him of Jackson with none of the douche-like qualities.  “Revenge?”

Stiles huffed a single un-amused breath through his nose.  “Revenge isn’t going to get me anywhere. It’s a motivator, sure, but I’m more focused on the people she left behind, the ones that had to go through what Munroe put us all through.  My dad is the Sheriff of the town and he had to go through protecting me as well as everyone else. He shouldn’t have to hold that burden alone. Not if I can help it.” He got a respectful nod in return.

“Huh,” Agent Carter said.  “Everything okay back home, then?”

He saw the look of understanding and knew he’d guessed right about her.  Stiles decided to take another shot now that she dropped her guard. The woman looked conservative, but Stiles also saw the picture of the young woman in a wedding dress standing next to another young woman in a very flattering white pants suit.  Stiles snorted, unlocking his phone again and dialling a number he had memorised but not stored. “Kid’s having boy troubles. Thought that was enough of an emergency to call me on a number I specifically gave his foster dad in case anyone was maimed or dying,” he said shaking his head.  “Could you guys wait a few minutes? I said I’d help him - just have to make a call.”

Stiles noticed with satisfaction that the area around his SOs eyes softened.  “Yeah. Take your time.”

Stiles nodded and hit the call button on the touchscreen.  “Okay, this shouldn’t take that long.” Holding up the phone to his ear he saw the almost fond look his supervisor was giving him.  He turned around so his smile wouldn’t look too obvious and listened to the dial ringing tinny in his ear. When it picked up, he heard a deep voice on the other end answer and the smile went from smug to warm.  “Hey. I got a proposition for you.”

***

Days later, Liam paused at the opening of yet another alley. It had taken some convincing to just get out of the house.  Even if it was Friday, his mom and stepdad didn’t want him out late so often now that school had started up again. He’d had to stop by at Mason’s on foot, only to climb out of the window fifteen minutes later, just because he knew his parents were the type to check on his story.  But Parrish had called and he’d needed to go.

That’s how he ended up here, standing outside of Theo’s truck, watching the Chimera sleeping soundly inside and wondering just how tired Theo must be to not have noticed yet.  He’d received a call from Parrish half an hour ago and run to meet the deputy a block down before walking to see the blue truck shrouded in darkness. He couldn’t believe he’d let his responsibility go so far that someone who’d helped them so tirelessly with Munroe was now sleeping in the cold bundled under a bunch of clothes and old blankets.

_Christ_. Liam stepped up to the backseat glass and knocked on the fogged up window.  He saw Theo jump awake then give a resigned sigh, and god if that didn’t break his heart.  When the man sat up and looked outside, the resignation became confusion.

Liam waited.  “You gonna open up?”  Eventually Theo disarmed the car to unlock the doors.  Liam wasted no time and climbed in, pushing Theo over to the other side and ignoring the disgruntled murmurs of ‘Really?’ coming from under the heap of clothes.  The inside was much warmer than the cold night outside and Theo was bundled up in a sweater and a hoodie underneath all the ‘bedding’ he’d nested in. “So, sleeping in your truck.”  Theo kept his head facing forward, still sleepy, but the wariness in his eyes didn’t go away.

“How did you find me?”  The sound of his voice was gravelly with sleep as he rubbed at his eyes.

Liam turned to face him, angling his body on the seat.  “The deputies are fed up of moving you.”

Theo looked across to him.  “So they called you?”

Liam nodded his head slowly.  “I asked them to call me when they found you next.”  Theo rolled his eyes. “Look - you don’t want my help?  Fine. But you can’t keep sleeping in your car," he said and angled so he was facing him. "Eventually the deputies will start arresting you for loitering.”  He ran his hands down his face in frustration when Theo kept silent. “Okay,” he said trying another angle. “I made a phone call.”  That got Theo’s attention and the sharpness of that blue-eyed gaze had him raising his palms in mock surrender. “You didn’t want me to help you,” he explained. “So I got someone else to instead.” At Theo’s cocked eyebrow, he said, “Derek.”

Theo narrowed his eyes.  Derek Hale had packed up and left Beacon Hills with nary a backward glance as soon as Munroe had fled.  The next time anyone heard of Derek, was when they’d started helping random supernaturals in other counties and neighbouring states that Munroe had begun to terrorise.  Deaton told Scott that the True Alpha couldn’t keep taking people in, because there was nowhere to place them in Beacon Hills.

Then Stiles mentioned, out of nowhere, that he knew where they could go.

The Hales were apparently stupid-crazy rich, even after the dead pool, because Derek Hale was living somewhere west of Lake Tahoe near the border of Nevada on a large area of forested land that his family still owned.  Apparently, he’d been there since he left over two years ago.

And, if Stiles were to be believed, he’d also been taking in strays during his vigilante phase. And in a very disorganised fashion, if he had anything to say about it.

So Scott asked Stiles to call Derek, since the werewolf actually gave Stiles his number to contact him after their stint together with the FBI and they’d started sending supernaturals his way instead.  Back when Theo had been listening to their conversations, ‘Derek Hale’s Rehabilitation Centre for Wayward Weres’, as Stiles jokingly put it, was near enough to a full-blown community and safe haven, now, for anyone looking for somewhere to stay.  It didn’t even have a formal address and Stiles never wrote down the number, always dialled it from memory and then deleted the call from his phone.

“You convinced Hale to help me?” Theo asked.  “ _You_?” he reiterated with very little belief colouring his words.  

Liam fidgeted a little and sighed.  “Stiles did.”

Theo let his head fall back, resigned, and laughed a little into the silence of the truck.  “Okay, yeah. _That_ I can believe.”

Liam frowned.  “I could have done it.”

Theo simply rolled his head to the side to regard him.  “No you couldn’t. Kinda honoured you guys had your Pack Mom do it for you,” he continued, turning his head back to stare at the lined ceiling of his truck.  “If ever a guy needs a good reference for Hale, it’s Stilinski.”

Liam frowned.  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Theo smiled like he knew a secret Liam didn’t and simply shook his head.  “Wow. How about next time you talk to Hale, actually listen to his heartbeat and ask him how Stilinski is doing.”

Liam looked confused.  “What’s that gonna do?”

Theo laughed with great amusement at Liam’s obliviousness.  At the obliviousness of the pack actually. “I’ll tell you when you’re older, Babywolf.”  

Liam sat in thought for a moment, and then shook his head refusing to let Theo distract him with Stiles’ ridiculous nicknames.  “Will you go?”

“To the Hale Rehab?”

Liam looked at him strangely.  “I wouldn’t call it that to his face, if I were you.”

Theo scoffed.  “What’s he gonna do, throw me out?”  He chuckled. “Won’t that be a vicious cycle,” he said talking to himself.  He turned his head to Liam again. “You gonna stalk me out there too?”

“I’m not stalking you!”  Liam rolled his eyes. “Will you go or not?”  Theo sighed and looked out the front of his truck to the rest of the alley.  Liam could see the cogs turning in Theo’s mind, knew he was weighing up his options between going and simply throwing Liam out and continuing on his own as per usual.  “Aren’t you sick of sleeping in here?” he appealed quietly. When Theo looked at him one last time, he said. “At least check it out. That can’t hurt, right?”

***

The eight-hour drive, including breaks, was long, silent and a little awkward.  After grabbing some food at an In-N-Out Burger in Wheeler Ridge, halfway through the journey, Liam volunteered to drive and let Theo sleep.  The Chimera had, for a time, until something woke him up, jerking him out of his slumber. He described it as a presence, but didn’t elaborate.  He only said it got stronger the further they drove. When they arrived, Theo whistled when he realised what it was. “Well, don’t I feel special.  I’m going to rehab for the _rich and famous_ ,” he commented surveying the high security wall and thick forestry on all sides. The high-hedged fencing in front of the even higher wall started at least a mile back and continued as far as he could see up the dawn-lit deserted road. When they pulled up at what looked like a reinforced metal gate, Liam pulled out his phone and texted Stiles.  Two minutes later he got a phone call from an unknown number.

“Hello?” Liam said warily.

“ _Liam_ ,” Theo heard through the phone on the other side.

Liam felt himself relax into the upholstery of the truck.  “Hey, Derek.”

“ _Theo with you?_ ”

Theo snorted, his head turning to Liam on the headrest.  “Would you drive eight hours up here by yourself for fun?”

There was a pause before Derek said, “ _I see he’s his usual, chipper self._ ”

Theo could feel Liam’s eyes on him. “Yeah, I kinda woke him up last night and we’ve been driving ever since. He’s grumpy when he wakes up, apparently.”  The voice was pointed now, but Theo just turned his head to look out the window.

There was a chuckle on the line.  “ _Come on in. You can leave the gate.  It’ll close on its own._ ” Derek hung up and a click sounded as the catch for the gate released, opening with a heavy, rumbling slide.  It was a thick reinforced wood coated in metal. When they drove through, he turned bodily to look behind them. The gate was backed with the same metal.  It looked like steel, but Theo could feel the mountain ash layered between. The concept reminded him of the counter by Deaton's Veterinarian Clinic. Mountain ash was a weapon, he knew.  He also knew it didn’t always have to be used against the supernatural.

Wouldn’t have mattered, though, as mountain ash didn’t affect him.  Despite that, however, he knew he’d never get onto the property without permission.  There was a shift in pressure that accompanied the gate as it opened. Double the security for unwanted guests: mountain ash _and_ wards.  And they were strong as hell, too. “This place is protected,” Theo said with a weight to his words. He hadn’t moved from his slouch against the window but Liam noticed that the man looked more relaxed than before as soon as they passed the gate.

“Yeah.  That gate was ridiculous.”

Theo looked over at him, his brow quirked. He eyed him for a moment before coming to a conclusion.  “You can’t feel it, can you?”

Liam glanced in his direction as he drove up the long path bracketed by high trees.  “Feel what? You still feel something?”

Theo sat up finally and looked around into the bushes and trees that lined the driveway.  “There are wards here. That’s what I’ve been feeling all this time.” He narrowed his eyes at the surrounding area.  He’d been feeling it for miles, since Auburn, which was impossible. Impossible and impressive, now that he was inside them.  “They’re old, sunk deep. But they’re... really strong.”

“You can feel all that?” Liam asked interested.  Theo looked more alert than he had for the whole drive.

Theo was still looking around, like he was following trails Liam couldn’t see.  “You could too, if you concentrated. Probably,” he added absently. His eyes then lit on a large building cresting at the corner.  “Is that it?”

Liam followed his gaze as he studied the building.  “It’s got to be. Derek just walked out.”

***

Theo could feel the ground under his feet, now.  It veritably vibrated with the smooth hum of an expertly maintained machine.  He was still looking down when Derek spoke to him. He looked up, not sure what Derek had said and it must have shown in his expression.

Derek cocked an eyebrow.  “I asked if you were okay.”

Theo shook his head.  “I’m fine.” But he kept looking around at the grounds surrounding the few buildings he could see.  “Is everyone here a Were?”

Derek let his gaze follow to the general location Theo’s eyes were roaming.  “The majority, yeah. We have a couple humans - witches and mages.”

“Did they do the wards?” Theo asked, actually looking like he was paying attention now.

Derek cocked his head to the side.  “No, those have been around for a while.  I recently had them reinforced, though.” His gaze was curious.

Liam looked between them.  “He said he can feel them,” he said feeling awkward at the silence.

Derek’s eyebrows rose.  “Well, that’s new.”

Theo shook his head.  “Not really. Made from magic and science, so…” he said shrugging.

Derek nodded along with that partial explanation.  “Alright. Well, come on in. We can talk in my office.  You can leave your truck here.” He turned to Liam. "I’d like to talk to Theo alone, if that’s alright? Just for now.”

Liam glanced between them, and then settled his gaze on Theo. “Are you okay with that?”

Theo cocked an eyebrow. “I’m not sure I have a choice if I want to be taken in.” A glance at Derek didn’t help him. “Are _you_ alright with it?” he countered at Liam instead.

Liam shrugged. “It’s fine. I’ll see you after.”

Derek gestured through to the courtyard. “You can walk around if you’d like. We won’t be long.” Liam nodded and backed away, turning to wander.

Theo watched Liam walking off and then let his eyes wander too as Derek led him away to the right. He felt like his eyes couldn’t take in enough information.  A deep breath in told him of the multitude of people around, though he only saw a few walking about this early.  They all had a purpose, though, he could tell.

Derek turned a corner down a corridor, and opened a large wooden door on the left.  When they went inside, he could tell this was a room Derek frequented, it smelled mostly of him.  There were a few others for good measure, but nothing permanent enough to stick. He sat in the chair Derek gestured towards and looked around.  The wall on his right looked like an explosion of photographs.  People he didn't know filled them, all of them smiling - in groups and on their own.  Some were posed, others were candid, but all of them were happy.  It captured his attention for a good minute or so, but his eyes were continuously pulled to the window behind Derek.  It looked over the courtyard they’d bypassed and revealed a sprawling amount of greenery beyond, which became gradually lit by an out-of-frame sunrise the longer he stared.

This place… was something else.  He'd never felt anything so naturally protected before.  Was that why Derek looked so… at ease? Theo had heard the phrase ‘Good for the soul’ before.  Never thought he’d see a live action definition so up close.  

The protections here were... like a feedback loop in a circuit that he could see from the outside. The Weres here, they’d cemented themselves to the grounds that protected them, believed in them to such a degree that the grounds had no other choice but to live up to that belief.  A stray memory hit, a thought occurring to him.

“A Spark did your wards.”

Derek paused on his way to sitting down, slowing to a stop before dropping himself down completely.  His eyebrows were furrowed now, his eyes narrow. “One helped, yes.”

Theo nodded.  He thought so.  Something so heavily steeped in belief could only be done by a person whose whole ability stemmed from it.  It was smart, the way it was engineered.

“You want to talk about my wards, or why you’re here?”

Theo’s derisive laugh erupted as a scoff. “Honestly, Hale, _I_ don’t even know why I’m here.”

Derek huffed a short humourless laugh. “I assumed you were here because you have nowhere else to go.”  Theo’s eyes snapped to his. Derek continued, “And you can’t be in a pack, the same way a vampire can’t be in a pack. You're not compatible.”  He spoke before Liam had a chance to engage. “Scott’s pack has always been more the exception than an example. And considering he’s a True Alpha, there isn’t really a definition to what his pack can be.” He shrugged. “Scott’s pack doesn’t really know about pack-politics and how that can affect pack members when they have to go elsewhere. So far, that’s worked for him and, if there’s a problem, it’s usually negated by finding out who Scott is.  Fortunately.”

Theo was nodding slowly, following along.  “But it’s different for me.”

Derek nodded sagely.  “Yes, because you weren’t born or bitten.  You were engineered as a hybrid, so there isn’t really a definition for you either.  You have a wolf. You also have a coyote. But it wasn't inherited or received naturally.”

Theo said out loud what Derek was avoiding.  “It was stolen.” Derek was certainly informed.  He supposed he had Stiles to thank for that.

Derek didn’t have to nod to show he agreed with him there.  Theo knew what he was, no need to coddle. “Scott could take you in, but the line governing your treatment and rights in other pack territories will always be blurry.  So will Corey’s. You’d be seen - always - as pack-adjacent, which is fine because you’d be under the pack’s protection. In formal meetings, however, you won’t be able to participate or contribute.”  

“If I made my own pack-”

Derek cut him off.  “You would be able to function as a pack, obviously.  You did so before,” he conceded. “But with no recognised hierarchy, or clear leader - as there are in other packs - and no process to accept or make new betas, you’d be seen as unstable and easy to disband.”

‘ _Which is exactly what happened._ ’ Nowhere to go, no one to go to.  Scott wouldn’t take him in, no matter how much Liam asked, if he ever did.  Theo was on his own.

As usual.

He looked out the window behind Derek onto the lit grounds that sloped gently towards a line of trees.  “So, what would I do here?”

Derek had the grace to not look smug.  “There’s a lot to do,” he said following the change in subject like they’d been talking about it all along. “A lot to learn.  If you’re willing.”

Theo’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.  “What – you teach here?”

Derek nodded.  “There are a few young wolves here, coyotes too.  Mostly from packs torn apart from hunters, others from rogue alphas.  They aren’t stable enough to be in the school system, yet, so we home-school them. Some of our members are teachers,” he explained.  “They all have a story of their own. They have to learn how to function outside of simple survival. Munroe’s people aren’t helping.  We try to teach them what they would have learned if they were still in a pack, too. That way if they ever want to join one, or create one of their own, they’d be equipped to go back out there.”

Theo sat forward. That sounded like a good system.  “Does it work?”

Derek finally let a small proud smile come through, his eyes moving to a the wall full of photographs.  Bright smiles, a host of closed eyes and knowingly tilted heads taunted Theo. “Yeah, so far. We’ve been doing it for a couple of months now and we’ve even had the odd adoption. Wolves joining a pack and asking their new alpha to take in others they knew here.”  His eyes slid back to Theo, contemplative and patient. “So. Decision?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spanish snippets are from Bere Rjs in the AO3 Writers Facebook Group, who are amazing human beings that everyone should know exist.

_“What do you think?” Liam turned around at Theo’s voice, his eyes traversing his form as he walked up to him. He didn’t look too traumatised, nor did he look angry enough to storm off. He turned back to the - frankly - ridiculous view of the grounds from the courtyard wall._

_The forest that surrounded the open field was a mass of Fall greens, reds, browns and yellows. The air was crisp, clean and cool in the morning light and the grass was dewy and sparkling in the rising sun. Liam huffed. “Honestly? If you don’t stay, I will,” Liam said shaking his head at the picturesque landscape. “God," he said in an awed whisper. "No wonder Derek packed up and left as soon as he did.” He took in a deep breath and let his eyes wander upwards to the sky._

_Theo leaned on the waist-high stone wall next to Liam, idly watching as a small group of Weres walked down the steps that led to a path on the right. It smelled of breakfast meats and coffee down there so it was likely a mess hall or kitchen. When they disappeared around a corner of bushes that lined the path, he turned back to Liam. The younger man had his eyes closed now. “Seems a bit too good to be true,” he had to say. Places like this didn't exist for free. Not for people like him._

_Liam shrugged. “You don’t have to stay.” He opened his eyes and looked down at Theo, who’d draped his wrists over the edge of the wall. “I’m not gonna to force you.” Liam turned away from the view and leaned back against the wall this time to give Theo his attention. Theo’s blue eyes were bright in the morning sun as he cocked a brow at Liam’s words._

_“But?” he said knowingly. Liam rolled his eyes and looked away. He fought down the amused smile._

_He also hated that the Chimera was right. “…But-” He sighed, eyes shutting in annoyance when Theo huffed. “But," he repeated, "even if it’s too good to be true. It’s better than what’s true right now.” He turned to look at him, knowing that he had Theo’s attention. “And right now, your truth isn’t that good.” He shrugged again. “Like I said, it’s up to you. Just know… I haven’t seen you relax before the way you did when we crossed those wards.” He gestured to the front of the compound where they'd entered earlier and then tilted his head to regain eye contact when Theo looked away uncomfortably. “You feel safe here, Theo. How long has it been since you’ve been able to say that truthfully?” he asked and let the silence hang as it’s own answer._

_Theo met Liam’s gaze. “I can take care of myself.”_

_Liam’s smile was sad. “I know," he conceded. "But that doesn’t mean you always have to.” He let Theo think about that in the quiet that followed._

***

“We’re here.”

Liam jumped, still lost in thought, at the sound of the beta’s voice. He felt the car slow as it turned right and looked out the window to see Mason’s house up ahead. Mason and Corey were walking together on the sidewalk and laughing.

“You can let me out here. Probably best I’m not seen getting out by his mom.” He stepped out of the SUV and shut the door behind him saying thank you.  He felt more than saw Mason and Corey walk up to him as he watched the SUV drive off and turn at the end of the street.  

“How was it?” Mason said as they fell into step together. He handed him a small bag full of pastries. Liam eyed the coffee-coloured lighthouse, surrounded by a steaming, but stormy, sea in a coffee cup and saucer, and tried a smile.

“Why do you smell so sad?” Corey asked.

Liam turned, looking between them. He shook his head to negate Corey’s statement.  “It was great. Derek’s really making a difference out there.  And it’s not sadness, I just… everyone’s so far away.”

Mason smiled at his friend with sarcastic sincerity.  “Thanks, man.”

Liam rolled his eyes, using the back of his hand to swat Mason lightly on his stomach in jest, as he passed by to walk up the path to the house.  Mason hit him back in kind. “That’s not what I mean. I just – I hope I did the right thing. That he’s going to be okay, you know?” He paused in the pathway up to Mason’s house. “How do I know I did the right thing?”

Mason surveyed his best friend for a moment and then gravely gave Corey the bag and smoothie cup he was holding. He stood squarely in front of Liam and made sure that the beta was paying attention by simply watching him for a few moments in silence.  “You don’t need to. Because I do. I know you did the right thing, because you’re you. You, Liam Dunbar, are my best friend, and you don’t have a malicious bone in your body. I’ve known you since we were four, bad intentions aren’t part of your skill set.” He put his hands on Liam’s shoulders. “He’s going to be okay, because I understand you well enough to know that you didn’t force him, you didn’t make a decision for him. All you did was give him an option, one you worked hard and tirelessly to even provide. And he chose it, didn’t he? He chose to stay for himself, and not for you.”

Liam bit into his bottom lip and nodded.

Mason shrugged as if Liam had proved his point and the discussion now didn’t matter. “There you go.” He gestured to the bag in Liam’s hand as he pulled out his keys to open the door. “We’ve been out all day since this morning. She asked for a doughnut. It's cream cheese.”  He pushed Liam towards the living room, ignoring Liam's awed look. Mason’s mom absently looked up from watching TV as they passed her by to go upstairs to Mason’s room. Liam deviated with Mason’s push and held out the bag with a smile he was only now beginning to feel.  He took in a breath through his nose. “Got you the cream cheese.”

Mrs Hewitt made grabby hands.  “Ooh, my favourite. Thanks Liam.”

“No problem, Mrs Hewitt.”  He turned around to join Mason and Corey upstairs.

“Liam.”  Liam froze and turned around.  Mrs Hewitt was staring at him as she manoeuvred the doughnut so she held one half of it with the paper bag.  “You make sure that door upstairs stays open, you hear?” She took a bite of her prize, her eyes dancing.

When he realised that she hadn’t noticed he was gone all night, that she was only teasing him, his nose scrunched up causing her to burst out laughing.  “Just... ew.” He took off, shaking his head.

“What’s all the laughing about?” Mason asked when he joined them.

Liam shut his eyes as he purposefully shut the door.  “Just -” He held up a hand. “Just don’t even with me right now.  You and your mom have a twisted sense of humour.” He let Corey pass him to set up the laptop on Mason’s bed.  The three of them sat on the floor, Mason opening up the other bag Corey had brought upstairs to take out the rest of their purchases.  He handed Liam the caramel doughnut and a smoothie.

“There’s still something wrong,” Mason said with narrowed eyes. “You need to let me in, man.  I can’t help if I don’t know what’s wrong.”

Liam shook his head, biting into the doughnut.  “There isn’t anything wrong.”

Mason scoffed.  “Don’t have to be supernatural to hear that lie.”  He sighed, absently watching Corey open up Skype and click on Scott’s contact for their meeting.  They listened to the jingling dial as it connected and Mason narrowed his eyes some more at his friend as Liam lay back and dragged Mason’s old bean bag to rest against.  “Who dropped you off?” he asked.

Liam shimmied into the beans to burrow himself in.  “One of the betas Derek has around. He had to attend some conference meeting or something with a group of Werecoyotes two towns over to negotiate an adoption.  Needed to scope out the people. Derek said he can’t just trust people we’ve only met over a computer screen and give them Weres of any kind.”

Mason gave a considering look.  “He’s not wrong.” Liam nodded.

“ _Hey, you guys_.”  The three boys turned to see Scott smiling at them.  There was blood at his hairline.

Liam sat up.  “What happened?!”

Scott brushed it off.  “ _Nothing major, promise.  Hold on, I’m connecting Stiles_. _Lydia said she can’t make this one and Malia is out getting Froyo._ ”  They watched Scott as he looked to another part of the screen.  “ _How did the relocation go?_ ” Scott asked absently as he worked.

Liam shrugged.  “It went okay. I think Theo’s gonna like it out there.  There’s... a lot of space.” He realised as he spoke that he really did sound like he was relocating a stray as Theo had hinted weeks ago. He changed the subject. “Like, how rich is Derek anyway?”

“ _Rich enough that he never has to work, ever,_ ” Stiles said having connected and heard Liam’s question.  “ _How did it all go? Any problems?_ ” Liam shook his head. “ _Did you get to see the place? Cool, am I right?_ ” Stiles grinned.

“Oh yeah, you’ve been,” Mason said chewing on his doughnut thoughtfully. “What’s it like?” he asked, since Liam didn’t seem very forthcoming.

Stiles nodded.  “ _Kinda had to. When I tracked Derek down before we came to Beacon Hills, that’s where he was living.  Big place. Huge. And the people were... I want to say wary, but-_ ”

Liam interrupted, agreeing. “Yeah, no I get it.  People kept staring, though it was worse with Theo.  Being with Derek kinda helped though, since he knew us.  They took his word for it that we were good. Theo was all wound up as we drove, said he could feel something as we were driving.  When we got close enough to see the place, he realised it was the wards.” Liam paused at Stiles' smile. “He seemed to relax as soon as we crossed them.”

Scott’s head cocked to the side.  “ _Derek has wards? Like mountain ash barriers?_ ”

Liam turned to Scott’s window on screen.  “I… guess? I got the impression it was proper magic, though. They’re apparently really strong. Theo worked out they were made by a Spark.” He shrugged. “Whatever that is.”

But Scott’s eyes were opened wide.  “ _Dude!_ ” Liam frowned until he realised Scott wasn’t talking to him, but his grinning best friend.  “ _You helped Derek with his wards? Since when can you do anything with your Spark? Why didn’t you tell me?”_ He rounded out the inquisition with, _“What about wards for me?_ ”

Stiles rolled his eyes.  “ _Dude, of course you have wards, you think I’d figure out how to do them and_ not _ward up the places of my own family? Pfft.  I’m hurt, Scott._ ” He squinted at the screen. “ _Is that blood in your hair?_ ”

Mason was going back and forth between them on the screen.  “What’s a Spark?”

Liam’s eyebrows rose in surprise, ignoring Mason.  “ _You’re_ the one who made them?”

Stiles held up his hands waving them in front of him to signal a no.  “ _Whoa, whoa,_ made _? No, not anywhere near that level. Updated, more like it._ ” Stiles shook his head.  “ _Those wards were there for decades before I came along, could feel them buzzing under my skin the whole ride over there.  Got worse as we got closer. I didn’t even know what they were until one of the mages Derek had there told me._ ” He shrugged.  “ _He figured I must have some sort of gift if I could feel them. So he gave me, like,_ all the books _and I read them on the – very quiet – eight hour, non-stop road trip over._ ”  Stiles rested his head in a propped up hand. “ _It was super,"_ he said sarcastically. _"The books, not the road trip_ ,” he clarified. “ _Derek is moody when he’s driving._ ” Stiles looked off into the middle distance.

Scott snorted out laughter.  “ _Think that’s just you._ ”

Stiles frowned, but a smile was fighting to the surface.  “ _Rude_.” He grinned anyway. “ _Anyway, I read up and was able to help as a boost to the power source needed to updated them when he went back. I hopped on a plane from Sacramento to Virginia when it was done.”_ He cocked his head to the side. _“So why was I called to this?  I can’t really help, I’m on the other side of the country. And again, why are you bleeding?_ ”

Scott rolled his eyes.  “ _It’s just an update. We have news about Munroe.  She just succeeded in wiping out a pack in Bridgeport._ ”  He sighed, his eyes closing in remorse. “ _We got there too late.  Everyone’s dead, except the alpha. He escaped and we can’t track him down_.”

Stiles’ eyes narrowed.  “ _Bridgeport is maybe three or four hours away from Derek_.”

Scott hummed in thought.  “ _Oh. Munroe may still be close to there.  You think Derek could be in danger?_ ” he asked.

Stiles looked off to the left.  “ _They usually keep a low profile, but I’ll call him to warn him.  Make sure they beef up security a bit. Their mage and witch can help with that_.”

“An alpha with no pack.  Isn’t that like how the alpha pack got started?” Corey asked with trepidation in his voice.  He’d heard the stories. They weren’t good.

Scott shook his head.  “ _By force instead of choice is what makes it different.  They’re both dangerous, but by force… that’s a feral alpha.  They can’t really be reasoned with. They’ll be looking either to kill whoever is responsible - if they can think ahead that far - or they’ll be looking to make a new pack._ ”

Stiles looked more worried at that line of thought. “ _And Derek’s got a whole load of potentials in one place.  Being so close, a feral alpha could be attracted by that_.”

“Can he cross your wards?” Liam asked worriedly.

Stiles sighed, biting on his lower lip.  “ _I want to say the wards are impenetrable.  But I’ve witnessed wolves cross mountain ash with enough motivation, and that’s supposed to be impossible, too._ ”  He cocked an eyebrow pointedly on screen and Scott blushed. “ _It’ll take a lot of effort, let’s say that. If he’s feral, and looking to make a pack over anything else…”_ Stiles heaved a heavy breath. “ _Let’s just hope he finds a hunter first, yeah?_ ”

***

Theo woke up after a long day of more tours and introductions.  He looked at the clock on his side table and blearily made out the time.  He sighed. He’d missed dinner. He scoffed and turned over onto his stomach.  Whatever, he’d gone longer without food. No big deal. In the silence of his room, Theo froze, hearing movement next to him.  He opened his eyes again and startled when he saw a small girl standing next to his bed dressed in an honest to god tutu. He jumped back, pulling the covers to his chin and swearing.  “Who the hell are you?”

The little girl grinned once he noticed her and jumped up on the bed to sit as if him moving over was an invitation.  Theo narrowed his eyes at her. “Get off my bed. And get out.” She cocked her head at him and scooted forward.  “I see someone has no sense of self-preservation. Or Personal Space,” he said pointedly.

“Personal space is for humans, who can’t hear each other copulate.”

Theo turned to the other side of his bed.   _Was that another kid?_ “What the...?”  A small boy poked his head up over the other side of his bed.  Had he been under it? Theo stared at him, thoroughly confused, and narrowed his eyes at the whisk in the boy’s hand.  How had he not heard any of these people when he woke up? How had they not _woken_ him up? He was usually a lot more aware than this.

“It’s his word of the day.  He needed to expand his vocabulary.  Derek gave him a calendar,” the girl said as an explanation.  “Copulate,” she then elaborated, when Theo didn’t say anything.  Who even were these people? “You’re Theo Raeken. Everyone’s talking about you because you don’t have an origin.”

Theo didn’t know how to respond to that, so he went with, “Well, I’m at a very big disadvantage.  You know my name…”

She smiled.  “Ella. I’m ten.” She pointed across the bed.  “That’s my brother Adam, he’s seven.”

Adam climbed on the bed too, whisk and all.  “I’m learning to be a wordsmith,” Adam declared proudly. “And a chef.”

And yet, somehow, the whisk still didn’t make sense. “I can see that,” he said instead.

“So, what are you?”  She pointed to herself when Theo’s gaze snapped to her.  “I’m a wolf. Adam too.” She cocked her head to the side again, eyes narrowed.  “Don’t know what you are.”

Theo thought of keeping it to himself, but they’d notice he had no scent.  They would figure out he was different eventually. “I’m called a Chimera. I was a science experiment.”

Adam’s eyes went wide.  “Did it hurt?” Adam asked blithely.

Theo was silent for a moment. Too long it seemed, because Ella reached across Theo to hit her brother upside the head.  “That was rude, Adam, apologise.”

“Sorry, Theo.”  Theo, too surprised to react, kept silent.  Adam hopped off the bed to stand up. “I have to go anyway.  Martha is calling.” Theo let his hearing extend a couple floors and could hear a mature, soft voice calling for the children downstairs.  

He checked the clock by his bed again.  Nearly nine. _Children like routine_ , Derek had said earlier in the day, explaining in the Entrance Hall across from the wall of glass doors that lead to the courtyard. The entrance hall walls were full of notice boards with timetables. Derek explained that different groups had their own timetable so the work could be shared. It was a pretty good system overall and the children were included, few though they were.  Adam must be part of a group who had an early bedtime.

“Night Adam,” Ella called as the small boy made his way out of the room.  He waved to them both as he shut the door.

The silence was becoming awkward now.  Why was this girl still in his room? Theo averted his gaze until he couldn’t anymore and huffed.  “So, what are you? A dancer?” he said gesturing to her ballet get-up.

She looked down and smiled wide, as if thrilled he’d noticed.  Too late, Theo realised this must be the little girl spinning around in the courtyard during his tour earlier.  She had on the whole ballerina outfit except the shoes. She was wearing an old pair of Converse. “I didn’t think I’d be able to be a ballerina.  You have to keep tight control and start younger. Younger than me as well. And I’m still working on my control.” She smiled a little embarrassed. “Derek said I wouldn’t know until I tried.”

This girl kept on surprising him. “You turned already?” In born wolves, beta-shifts didn’t usually come until they were twelve or thirteen.

She shrugged with fake nonchalance, a wall suddenly blocking out that radiant grin.  “Benefits of watching your pack get killed. The beta who killed our alpha two years ago didn’t know we were still alive.  We couldn’t be alphas, too young. So he got the alpha spark. Our wolves weren’t awake yet, but the kill was enough to wake them up.  The alpha is gone now, though. Chased off by hunters, they didn’t catch him.”

“You don’t feel a pull to him?”  That was odd. It was likely he was dead by now, but you never know.

Ella shook her head.  “Can’t wait til we’re taken in by a pack.  Once we’re in, we can’t be claimed by him anymore.”

Theo nodded along, stunned by how straightforward she was.  She grew up fast. It was a wonder no one had tried to claim the pair already. When he came out of his thoughts, he noticed that her head was cocked to the side and angled, as if she was listening in on something.  The smile from before suddenly returned.

She jumped off the bed, landing on her converse in near silence.  “You weren’t at dinner.”

Theo shrugged from under his quilt.  “Wasn’t hungry.” And he’d been asleep. Dead to the world around him, apparently.

The grin turned almost manic.  “Are you hungry now?”

Theo‘s eyebrows furrowed, minutely worried at the look in her eyes.  Like she was up to something. “Derek said the Mess is closed after nine.”  It was like a list of rules the wolf had recited to him yesterday while he’d watched a blue SUV drive Liam off the property.

She shook her head and leaned forward to grab his hand.  “Nah, come on. We’ll be fine.”

“Hey. whoa!  Can I get dressed first?!” he called as he she tried to pull him out the room.

***

Theo was very certain that this was a bad idea.  As he followed Ella through the halls and down the stairs to the ground floor and across the courtyard, though, he couldn’t help but be stunned all over again by the beauty of this place.  Ella was tugging him along, so he couldn’t stop to admire anything properly, but he couldn’t deny the compound’s main building was really nice. He could see where parts had been remodelled and extended.  It all still fit together, though, like it was all following a theme.

He nearly stumbled when they turned down the path to the Mess hall.  He’d been right when he was standing there yesterday with Liam and watching people walk around. Though he’d imagined more of a camp Mess Hall setup, it looked more like a diner in the making, the way it was being remodelled.  His brows furrowed when he could hear shuffling and narrowed it down to a single heartbeat.  Yes. He could hear a heartbeat ahead that got stronger the closer they journeyed to it.  Ella didn’t seem perturbed in the slightest, nearly barrelling in through the doors and looking around in the dark.  Theo wondered if this was what she’d been listening to in his room. How good was her hearing?

Theo saw him first, smelling the scent of the food – obviously reheated in the microwave – that sat in front of him second.  

Eyebrows raised, Theo called out, “Peter?”

The eldest of the remaining Hale clan turned at his name, though it was obvious from his expression that he knew Ella was there the whole time, if not who was accompanying her.  “Raeken?” He finished putting down his jacket on the bench beside him and picked up his knife and fork. “Wow, Derek’s letting _anyone_ in these days,” he commented in a stage-whisper.

‘ _I was just thinking the same thing._ ’

Ella let go of Theo’s hand for the first time since she’d grabbed it, and ran down the second aisle toward the Werewolf eating his dinner, Theo following sedately.  “Uncle Peter!” Theo was further surprised when she jumped into a hug that Peter actually welcomed. He must be a frequent visitor.

“Tiny Dancer wolf.”  Theo found himself chuckling, remembering the twirls Ella was doing earlier in the courtyard.  So, a _very_ frequent visitor.

“Did you bring doughnuts?” Ella asked letting go.

Peter eyed Ella shrewdly for a few moments and Theo was sure he was staring only to get her to stop talking to him. That is until the man rolled his eyes and pulled a small Krispy Kreme box from under his jacket on the bench beside him. “Your nose is getting better. You smell that from your room?”  He was still watching her when Ella broke into the box, but his eyes had gone fond when she nodded.

“Theo’s,” she corrected.

Theo couldn’t help but stare.  He’d only ever seen contempt, sarcasm, anger and spite on Peter’s face before.  “So, you’re ‘Uncle Peter’ here,” he ventured.

Peter’s eyes never moved from the little girl carefully selecting a plain-glazed doughnut.  “Only to her.”

“And Adam,” Ella said without missing a beat.

Peter sighed.  “And Adam,” he obliged since she rarely left her brother out of anything if she could.

She bit into the sweet dough.  “And everyone else,” she spoke around the mouthful.  Theo banked his amusement.

“And-” Peter paused, nearly caught.  Ella’s eyes scrunched in mirth. Peter narrowed his in response.  This sounded like a discussion they’d had before. Theo wasn’t sure what he was more surprised by.  “No.”

It was Ella’s turn to roll her eyes.  “Yes, Uncle Peter. People like you, deal with it.”  She held up the box in offer to Theo. As he reached down to take one of the treats out, Peter snatched the box away.  He took his time to fold it back into place before putting it back in the bag. He stared at Theo reproachfully in case he got any ideas.

“No.” Theo wasn’t sure if Peter was talking to Ella or him.

Ella snorted.  “He’s in denial,” she said to Theo and broke her doughnut in half to give him a chunk since Peter wasn’t willing to share.  She sat down to eat next to Peter, back against the table. Theo took the half she offered with a grin and smoothly straddled the bench next to them both.  The hall was silent and cool at night, absent as it was of the other residents to the compound.

“So, Raeken,” Peter began as he dug in to his mashed potatoes in gravy.  “What are you in for? Mass murder? Petty theft?” he continued to list and then turned to him as if he’d had a revelation.  “Did you eat the last of McCall’s poppy seed bagels?” he concluded seriously.

Theo actually felt something tug at the corner of his mouth there.  “I was living out of my car. Scott’s beta found me, took some pity and sent me here.”  He looked around the hall. “I feel like I should be attending group sessions and getting a sponsor.”  God Krispy Kreme did everything right.

Peter looked considering as he cut into his roast chicken slices.  “Well, no group sessions, only classes. You will have to get a sponsor of sorts, but nope.  Plenty of alcohol. All the alcohol, in fact.”

Theo turned his head to him.  There was so much to question in those few sentences.  He went one at a time. “We can’t get drunk.”

A fork was held up in place of a pointer finger to silence him.  “Correction. Human alcohol can’t get us drunk.”

Now that was interesting.  “Seriously?” He only tried it with coffee, it being so close to hand at the time and all.

“Totally,” Peter returned doing his best Valley girl impression.  “Stay for a birthday celebration or two. It’s bitchin’.”

Theo dusted his hands of glazed shards and rubbed them on his jeans.  “How long have you been here?”

Peter shrugged.  “I come and go. It’s a beneficial set up.  Good food, roof. Privacy.” He threw Ella an amused look.  “For the most part.” Theo did snort there, giving Ella a similar look.  He understood the feeling and wondered if the two of them had met in a similar fashion.

“Do you teach?” he asked.

Peter cocked an eyebrow at that.  “Why, did Derek offer you a job already?”

Theo frowned. “No.”

Peter snorted and turned back to his food.  “He will.”

Theo rested an arm on the table beside him, watching Ella kick her feet back and forth quietly. She seemed completely content to sit there and listen to them.  Theo recognised a person not wanting to be alone and let her be. “Why?”

“Because, you have skills that the others don’t have.”

That got his attention and his gaze snapped to the man.  Peter spoke like he was saying the sky was blue. “Like?”

Peter paused with his fork mid-air. His expression said he was disappointed, scrunching up his nose like he’d smelled something bad.  “Don’t fish for compliments, Raeken, it’s not attractive.” He continued eating.

Theo looked affronted.  “I’m not-”

“He means because you haven’t got an origin. You’re Unknown,” Ella said quietly, but confidently, finally contributing to the conversation.

Theo snapped his attention to her instead. “What?”  It may have come out sharper than intended, as she leaned away from his gaze.

Peter held up his fork in an almost threatening manner.  “Don’t be snappish. Let the girl school you. She’s my best pupil in her group.”  Theo visibly restrained himself and let his tense shoulders relax somewhat, tried to look less threatening.

Ella bit on her bottom lip and shrugged.  “You’re Unknown. You said you were a science experiment.  That means that the senses you have, you had to own.”

Theo’s brows furrowed minutely at that.  “Own?” he asked confused, eyes moving between the two of them.

“Like… Practice?” she tried again, turning to Peter this time in question.

Peter nodded as if he understood and swallowed the mouthful that prevented him from talking. “Hone,” Peter corrected and sent her a wink.

Ella nodded, smiling.  “Oh. Hone then,” she repeated.  “We all grow up knowing it’ll come with lots of practice, though we didn’t do it very often because being at war wasn’t really common anymore, not for us.”  She sighed quietly remembering her pack. “Not like it is now. And we know what abilities to expect because we know what we are.” She looked up at him again.  “You didn’t because you’re not just a wolf or a coyote or a jaguar. You’re not just a shapeshifter either. So the abilities you have, aside from strength and stuff, you had to learn them separate, as they showed, or learn the skill and then use your abilities to perfect it.”

A hand ruffled her hair.  “A plus, plus, plus, kiddo.”  Ella giggled. Peter eyed Theo carefully.  “How long have you been a Chimera?”

Theo shook his head at the amount of knowledge this little girl held.  He felt inexplicably angry at the circumstances that caused her to grow up so fast.  “Since I was ten.”  He kind of knew the feeling.

The beta cocked an eyebrow.  He obviously didn't expect it to be so long.  “There you go. You learned it early, you figured out how to perfect your abilities when they may not be natural to your species and you were likely self taught.” He waited until Theo nodded and then finished the last forkful on his plate.  “That is why Derek will offer you a job. If you – who didn’t know what you were – can learn and perfect the same abilities that wolves and the like have naturally, then you can show others how to as well.” He got up, picking up his empty plate as he did. “Come on.”

Theo watched Ella readily jump up off the bench. His head rose to follow Peter.  “Where?” he asked.

Peter cocked an eyebrow at the wariness.  “To the kitchen,” he gestured obviously. “She brought you here to eat right?”

***

“...and an alpha was spotted roaming around the El Dorado National forest.”

Days later, Theo paused in grabbing the book he’d been reading off the library shelf.  It was likely no one noticed he was there when they came in, he didn’t have a scent and his heartbeat wasn’t all that noticeable unless you were really looking for it.  He looked through the stacks to see two of the border guards that patrolled on shift throughout the day. It looked like one had dragged the other in here to talk. Theo shook his head in disappointment. Some guards. Didn’t even do a cursory check to see if anyone was here.

“We’ve had no luck finding it, because it knows the forests too well. Probably been there for days.”  

“That means it’s looking for new betas.”

“The wards go half a mile into the forest,” the tall one said looking worried.  “We need to warn Derek.” The shorter one agreed and they left.

Theo finally picked up the book he’d come for and walked out of the stack checking that the library was clear. He’d been reading the book for a few days, but wasn’t sure if he was allowed to keep it, so he’d been putting it back every couple of chapters. He didn’t want to be thrown out because someone accused him of stealing.

‘ _An alpha loose in El Dorado?_ ’ That was at least a couple hours away on foot. If a rogue alpha Werewolf was looking for betas, there were loads of people to bite between there and here.  Although, it would be easier to claim people who’d already been turned, or who were born a Were in the first place. Less clean-up, less chance of a human dying from rejection.  

Less attention from hunters.

As he walked outside into the sun, his eyes fell on Ella, doing turns by the fountain in the courtyard.  It seemed to be her favourite place to practice. The last couple of days since Peter arrived; when she wasn’t in class, she and her brother Adam had trailed behind Theo, for what reason he had no idea.  Derek had only stared at him in silence when he’d told him, so Theo let it go. No one else was talking to him, so he went with it. Company was company.

He let the situation with the alpha fade from his mind. Derek had his own people working on it.  He instead let his attention focus on Ella, who stumbled one more time as he approached. “Can’t stick the landing, huh?” He let himself sit on the edge of the fountain and then slipped to the ground with his book next to Adam. Finding the bookmark he’d placed there, he sat back and bent his knees to rest the book at a comfortable reading distance.

Ella finished her twirl and flopped to the ground.  “My leg won’t go higher.” She propped her head on his shoulder.

“You should stretch the muscle,” he said absently as he found his place on the page.

“I am!”

He winced at the volume of her denial.  “No, I mean regularly. Do some stretches a couple times a day. Make the muscles in your legs more flexible.  Surprised you haven't done that already.” He kept reading when she fell into a contemplative silence. Next to him, lying on his stomach, Adam was drawing something Theo couldn’t possibly understand.  He angled his head. Looked abstract. Also looked like a cabbage. God these kids were weird. “Take up yoga or something,” he joked.

There was a pause. “What’s yoga?” she asked.

Brow furrowed, he looked up at her and then down at Adam, who’d raised his head in curiosity.  “You’ve never heard of yoga?” Ella and Adam shook their heads.  “It’s a Hindu discipline,” he said struggling to remember the actual definition.  Adam had stopped drawing to listen properly now and Theo knew he’d appreciate it. “People use it to meditate, relax and keep calm.  There are positions to put your body in that, through practice, can keep you healthy. Also has the added benefit of stretching muscles out and making you more flexible.”

Ella’s eyes widened. “Oh my god.”  The excitement was evident in her voice.  “Will you do it with me?” She scooted closer to get a hold of his arm.

“What?” he asked startled. He tried to snatch back his arm.

Ella hung on tight. “Please, Theo! I really want to do this, but I’ll feel stupid doing it alone.”  She turned on a pleading look and projected it in full force.

Theo turned his face away from the concentration of it.  “Then get someone else to do it with you.”

“I am!”

He stared at her obviously.  “Someone who isn’t _me_ ,” he deadpanned.

“I’ll do it with you!” Adam offered sitting up excited.

Ella slouched.  “You don’t count, Adam.  But thanks.” She sat back and smiled at him, sad that she’d have to figure it out alone.  

Theo shut his eyes.   _Damnit_. “Fine,” Theo huffed, holding up his hand to forestall the shriek he knew was coming.  “But only in the mornings. You have to get up early. _Very early_. Every morning.”

She smiled like she knew what he was doing.  “Uncle Peter says discipline is at the core of every successful learning experience for betterment.”

He regretted it already. “Jesus Christ,” Theo swore dropping his head in his hands.  Fucking Peter.

That was how, three days later, at five-thirty in the morning, just on the cusp of sunrise, Theo, Ella and Adam were in the field behind the house on a wide spread of three blankets following along to a YouTube video on _Hatha yoga poses for beginners_ after a half hour of meditation.

“I cannot believe what my life has become,” Theo reflected.

“Awesome right?” Adam said yawning around a smile as he pushed his butt in the air like the YouTuber suggested.  All three paused to take in a deep breath, hold and let it out before changing position.

“Awesome isn’t the word I’d use,” Theo said steadying himself in the position minutes later when Derek walked up to them, something hot in a cup steaming away in his hand.

“I really wish I brought my phone outside.”  Theo’s glare was like an ache in his eyes. Derek only smiled.  “Just be glad Peter went home yesterday.”

“Theo, breathe in,” Adam said interrupting to remind him.  They all took a deep breath, held and let it out as they changed position again, fumbling a little as they tried to keep balance.  “Derek you’re hindering our meditation.”

Derek bit down on his lip to contain a wider grin.  “Good use of the word, Adam.”

“Thank you,” he said with a content upside down smile.  “It’s from Tuesday.”

Derek nodded.  “I remember.” Everyone had been a hindrance on that day, but people found Adam far too cute to argue with his word practice.

“Is there something you wanted?” Theo asked, also upside down, his face going red.

“Nope.  I was just curious.”  He turned back like he was looking at something.  “A few people were actually.” Theo couldn’t see what he was looking at from the position he was in.  “They didn’t know how to come over and ask.” Derek turned back. “Thought I’d do it for them.” He smiled again, amusement a clear sparkle in his eyes.  “Glad I did. This wasn’t what I was expecting.” He hid all that amusement behind his cup. “So, is this going to be a regular thing?” he said, gesturing at their makeshift yoga studio, and took a sip.

Ella spoke up as they changed position again.  “I’m learning how to stretch out my muscles so I can be a better dancer.  Theo said yoga could help and that he’d do it with me if I really wanted.”

That wasn’t exactly what he’d said, but he’d take it.  When Derek sent him an inquisitive stare, he rolled his eyes.  “She’s getting ahead of herself on the ballet thing. She can’t make her turns because she hasn’t gone through her positions properly.  When she tried to spin out of an arabesque and nearly rolled her ankle, I couldn’t take it anymore. This is to limber her up and give her somewhere to start when she gets frustrated and needs to calm down.  We’ll start the positions after.”

Derek’s eyebrows rose.

“What? I have culture,” Theo said affronted.

“He’s so awesome,” Ella said from her sideways position stretching up to the sky.

“Completely awesome,” Adam concurred. “We’re helping her with complete abandon.”

Derek nodded along in agreement with the two children, near snorting into his tea with Adam’s word of the day.  “I can see that. I’ll leave you all to it,” he added and turned to go back toward the main building, his shoulders shaking.

“Seriously,” Theo said to himself.  “What even is my life right now.”

***

A week and a half later, they’d graduated to following the positions without the video and were praising the sun when four other members of the compound came up, with blankets of their own and asked to join.  Theo sent Derek an unimpressed glare when he brought it up during breakfast later.

“You don’t appreciate the company?” Derek asked, very unbothered by the glare it took Theo four years to perfect.

Theo put down his plate of scrambled eggs and bacon.  “I’m not a yoga instructor. I was just messing around with Ella and Adam.”

Derek stared at him.  Theo noticed it was the look Derek usually gave to people when he was certain they were smarter than they were acting.  He’d seen him give it to Stiles more than once. Near constantly around Scott, too. “Doesn’t look like you’re messing around.  Looks like you’re taking a little girl's dream seriously and helping her achieve it.”

With a roll of his eyes, Theo shook his head.  “I’m not that altruistic.”

Derek shrugged as he pulled apart his toast.  “So you say, but I still see you doing the downward dog every sunrise, for no other reason than her asking for your company.”  He narrowed his eyes in thought. “You’re calmer too.” Derek paused. “Not today, though.”

“Wonder why that is?” was Theo’s sarcastic reply.

In his now typical straightforward fashion, Derek said simply, “Because you’re embarrassed to be seen doing yoga with a ten and seven year old.  Don’t know why, though. No one else seems to care.” He pushed some scrambled egg onto his toast before continuing.  “Make it a thing. I’ll put it on the general roster.” He took a sip of his coffee.

And that was it.  Theo could hear the decision being made and knew it wouldn’t make a difference to argue the point.  Too many people had enjoyed the makeshift yoga session, including Ella and Adam, who’d taken to being teaching assistants like white to rice.  This new feeling of not wanting to disappoint them was new, but occurred often enough that he didn’t bother keeping up the objections when he knew ultimately that he’d keep doing it anyway.  Theo watched Derek put the cup back down and decided to change the subject. “Does the coffee here actually do anything for you?” he asked and began to eat.

Derek looked at the cup. There was a hint of nostalgia and mourning there.  “Used to, when I was younger.”  He looked up at Theo then. “You said ‘here’.”

“What?” Theo queried around his mouthful.

Derek made a face at him talking with his mouth full, but answered anyway.  “You asked if the coffee here does anything for me.”

Theo nodded as he swallowed.  “Yeah, because it doesn’t do anything for me.”

The look was back.  It was then Derek’s turn to roll his eyes.  “No - using ‘here’ infers that coffee elsewhere is better.”

The shit-eating grin came naturally, sliding home on his face.  “Yes. I know. That’s what I meant.”

Derek narrowed his eyes.  “What brand is it?” His tone was sharp and Theo smirked now, recognising an addict when he heard one.

Theo continued smirking, his eyebrows waggling for effect.  “Raeken.”

Derek’s eyebrows rose up his forehead in surprise.  “You make your own coffee?”

Theo’s expression read: ‘ _Pfft Please._ ’ “I worked in a coffee shop for a month.  Got tired of smelling what I couldn’t have.” He shrugged and got quiet. “I was always good at chemistry.”  He looked down at his food, pushing some of the eggs around with his fork. When he looked up at the silence, Derek was still watching him.  He huffed out a breath and said, “Colombian or French roast will do. Add monkshood and you got some Grade A Caffeine for a morning pick-me-up.”

Derek narrowed his eyes.  “You spiked your coffee.”

Theo swallowed his mouthful.  “If I had my way, I’d spike everything.”

A cocked eyebrow.  “That’s a little depressing.”

 _Better than feeling nothing at all._  “Testing it was worse.” He shrugged again. “Ultimately worth it, though.  I got the recipe right and was able to replicate it. Got it down to a science now.”  He was a little proud of the fact and wasn’t afraid to show it.

Having finished his breakfast, Derek circled his hands around his coffee cup.  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Something was going through Derek’s head.  Something Theo wasn’t sure he’d like, but he left it alone.  It was likely that he’d find out at some point.

***

“Is that from _Beacon Beanery_?”  Liam looked up to see Nolan standing on his doorstep.  He paused in drinking and looked around.

“Have you been here all day?”  The boy hadn’t been in school, so he had to wonder.  “You do know today’s a school day?”

Nolan rolled his eyes.  “I’m aware, Liam. My dad needed my help today, he called in for me.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “If I knew you were going, I’d have asked for something. I’m starving.”

Liam shrugged and unlocked his front door.  He could tell immediately by scent that no one was home and walked straight to the kitchen to see if his mom had left a note.  He read through the notices on the fridge. A list of grocery items sat under a magnetised, torn corner of a page from his mom saying she was at her book club.  Liam turned to the calendar. “It’s Wednesday already?” he said to himself. “Wow.” Time was flying by. He turned back to see Nolan also reading all the items on the fridge. He paused. “Nolan, why are you here?” he finally asked.

Nolan looked at him.  Liam had a feeling there was going to be ‘a conversation’ “You’ve been avoiding me.”

Liam was stumped. Definitely surprised.  Had he been? “Er, why?”

It was Nolan’s turn to be stumped. “That’s why I came. To find out.”

Liam dumped his bag on the kitchen table. There was a story here, he was sure of it. “Alright. Well, why don’t you tell me why you think I’ve been avoiding you?” he asked instead.

Nolan shrugged.  “I guessed ‘cause of Theo.”

Liam continued to look confused. His eyes narrowed as he tried to find a connection.  “Right...” he trailed.

Nolan’s eyebrow cocked. “…Because of my dad?” Nolan almost seemed to wince as he said it.  

 _His dad? What did he – Oh._ Suddenly Liam remembered.  “Right!” he repeated in a completely different tone.

Nolan shook his head. “I called Stiles-”

The expression of horror on Liam’s face made Nolan freeze. It was like he’d dumped water over Liam’s X-Box One.

Liam’s eyes widened and he felt himself panic for a second.  “You…” the voice was weak, but determined. “You what?”

Nolan nodded after a moment, like he understood why Liam was panicking.  “Yeah, he was – he was _not_ happy.”

Liam resembled a man possessed.  “How did you – _why_ – why did you call him? Why _would_ you call him? We do that sparingly, Nolan, why did you do that _at all_?!” he rushed out in a loud ramble.

Nolan seemed taken aback at Liam’s outburst.  “I needed _answers_ ,” he replied frustrated. “Stiles always has answers.”

Liam seemed astonished at that. He snapped out of it quickly.  “To what? The meaning of life?” he said, his voice going high.  “You could have just come to me!”  He squinted with suspicion. “How did you even get his number?”

Nolan looked like he didn’t want to answer after that impromptu lecture.  “I used your phone.”

Liam felt a little lightheaded.  “You used…” and ran out of words, his voice trailing into a whisper and his hands covering his face.  “Oh.” Nolan took a step back. Liam was holding his stomach now like he was about to throw up. “I’m dead. I’m dead.” He nodded to himself and put his hands on his hips, but they didn’t stay there and gravitated back to his face.  “Thank you, Nolan. You just killed me.”

Biting his lower lip, Nolan contemplated how to make this better. “He seemed fine about it?” After all the anger, at least. And the lecture.  Oh boy could Stiles lecture.

Liam laughed hysterically, dragging his hands down his face with dread.  “I’m sure he did.”

Nolan shrugged and leaned back against the fridge. “I’m serious.  He actually seemed worried about you by the end, made me promise I’d talk to you.”

Liam narrowed his eyes, hands still cupped over his mouth and nose.  That didn’t sound like Stiles. “About what?”

“About Theo and your terrible taste in men.  Friend and boyfriend alike. About taking your issues to your alpha like a regular ‘Moony-Wolf’ and about securing your ‘goddamn phone’.” He made the air quotes and all.

 _Ah.  Much more like it._  He paused, a swooping feeling erupting in his stomach. Like butterflies riding a roller-coaster, after eating too many corn dogs. “What boyfriend?” he asked in confusion.

Nolan rolled his eyes.  “Theo,” he said obviously.

Liam shook his head, still completely perplexed.  “But Theo’s not my-”

Before Nolan had a chance to rebut that, the front door of Liam’s home opened.  “Liam! You here?” they heard from the front of the house.

Mason’s voice sounded jovial, had done since he’d finished his college pre-work. “Kitchen!” Nolan called out when Liam still didn’t speak.

Mason and Corey made their way directly toward them, walking in on Nolan leaning on the fridge staring at a struck-dumb Liam.  “What’s... going on?” Mason asked eyeing the two of them warily.

Nolan gestured to Liam with a hand.  “Liam’s just found out that he likes Theo.” Mason’s mouth opened, his jaw-dropped expression landing easily on Liam.

“What?” Corey said, a shocked smile appearing on his face.  “Just now?” he added with incredulity in his tone.

His question seemed to snap Liam out of it.  “What do you mean ‘just now?’”

Corey raised his eyebrows.  “I mean you’ve been mooning for months.  I just assumed you were denying it, not outright oblivious.”

Mason, having finally found his words, exclaimed, “Oh my god. You like Theo?!”

Liam backed up at the loud accusation, hitting the kitchen table and stumbling into it.  “No. No! Not at all. Like, _at all_.” He used his hands to emphasise his words.

But Mason continued as if Liam hadn’t spoken.  “Why didn’t you tell me? I could have helped.”

“What about Hayden?” Corey asked curious.  He’d been wondering for a while actually.

Mason huffed.  “What about Hayden?  Hayden left, we’re focusing on Theo,” he said dismissing that entirely.  “Who came back!” he added with a smile. Then Mason sobered. “Liam, you should have told me, I would have understood.  I know what it’s like.”

Liam’s gaze drifted from Corey to Mason. The former had shook his head at Mason’s dismissal and promptly turned to search in the fridge behind him, nudging Nolan aside. “What what’s like?” he said focusing on his best friend.

Mason rolled his eyes.  “Coming out, man!” He shook his head.  “You were there for me,” he said seriously, coming closer and putting his hands on Liam’s shoulders.  “Every single step you had my back. I would have done the same for you, you know that. How did you not know that?”  He enveloped his best friend in a hug.

Liam’s gaze went over Mason’s shoulder to Nolan, who was biting down on a grape, flit across to Corey who held the rest of the grapes in his hand, and back again.  “Seems I don’t know a lot of things,” he muttered. He pushed gently at Mason, easing out of the hug.  “Look, I don’t know what I feel. Honestly I hadn’t really noticed I felt any different until Nolan spelled it out, okay?”

“Nolan?” Corey said turning to him.

Nolan shrugged, swallowing the fruit he was eating.  “Stiles told me. I told him,” he said gesturing with his head in Liam’s direction.  Corey and Mason nodded in mutual understanding, like that explained it all.

“What did Stiles tell you?” Mason asked stealing a grape for himself.

“Uh.” Nolan looked up at the ceiling as he recalled the conversation.  “He said: Theo was a bit of a shitty person. Tried to split you all apart, then tried to get Liam to kill Scott, then killed Scott himself.”  His finger pointed like he was going along a timeline that Stiles had outlined. “He then graduated to _being_ killed and was sent to hell, but came back apparently reformed?” he concluded trying to recite it all.  “Or something?"  He shook his head. "He said it all hinged on Liam, so that’s probably the reason, since Liam’s an adorable Babywolf.” Nolan looked contemplative there, his arms crossing over his chest. “He became kinda proud-sounding there, then went off on a tangent about your terrible taste in men.”  He put his hands in the front pocket of his hoodie. “Said that you probably got that shit from Scott, who’s just as attracted to dangerous partners like Allison and some guy called Isaac?” He shrugged nonplussed.

Corey looked contemplative, finger tapping his lips in thought.  “Isaac... I think he was on the Lacrosse team?” Corey suggested.

Nolan’s fingers clicked. “Lahey, right,” he agreed, remembering him now. “Wow, he left a while ago.” He grabbed another grape. “I see it, though. Power couple in the making there.”

Liam pulled a chair at the table to sit down, ignoring his friends’ chatter and dropping his head into his folded arms in mortification.  “Oh my god,” he grumbled to himself as he made a mental note to have a word with Stiles about how he disseminated information in the future.

***

A deep gasp accompanied Stiles as he woke up, feeling a chill in the air and a crushing pressure against his lungs.  He sucked in a breath and forced it out, feeling the pressure grow, and shut his eyes tight. Hands fisting in the quilt that covered him, he focused on his breathing and the texture of the material between his fingers.  He pulled in another breath, feeling even more air exit than before and turned on his side. He pulled his legs up and covered his ears to try and dull the insane ringing he could hear.

He was sweating in the cold room. Stiles could feel his t-shirt clinging to his skin and the wetness at his scalp as his fingers dug into his hair.  His eyes ached with how hard they were squeezed tight, the tinny ringing pausing before returning. Stiles frowned, confused, and opened his eyes. There was a bright light flashing, his cell phone LED pulsing and pausing with the tone.  It was the phone he always kept on, always kept charged and never left behind. But it was making noise. It never made noise, always just vibrated. The only time it ever made a noise was when… Derek.

Like a pop, the pressure dissipated with the cold.  Stiles felt his muscles relax gradually as he lay in the soft, moist puddle of his bed.  He could hear his breathing, could still feel his heart, but at least it didn't feel like it would beat out of his chest anymore.  It was over. He let out a breath of relief, the last of the pressure releasing.

As soon as he sighed, feeling the relief, he was startled to sitting up once more when he heard the many distinct sounds of things dropping on surfaces in his room at once.

Stiles panted into the dark room and reached across to his lamp in a flail of limbs. He hit the on switch as he looked around his bedroom. Nothing happened. In a panic he got up and sprinted to his bedroom door, crying out when he stubbed his toe in the dim light. He hit the switch for the room and plastered his back to the door, looking around closely. Everything was in place… and yet.

He looked at his dresser first, nearest to the door, and at all the things he’d placed there. There was the little dish his dad had given him to use for when he came into his apartment. It was the first thing that looked odd. Originally, it was supposed to be placed by the entrance of the apartment to catch his keys and stray coins from his pockets when he came in. Since there wasn't a table there - because there was no room for one - tiny as his apartment was, it resided on his dresser. It had been there for so long in fact that it had shielded any and all dust from touching the area it was placed on.

The protected, dustless area was visible now, as if the dish had been picked up and moved mere centimetres to the left. Stiles swallowed as he picked up the same pattern immediately among other items on the dresser and around the room. His books, the lamp, the remote for his air conditioner - which he hadn’t needed to touch for weeks now. That scented candle that Lydia had given him, the photo-frame of his mom and dad, the other pictures of the pack that he didn’t want out in his minuscule living room… All of it had shifted a little, leaving a slight trace of where everything had been before he woke up.

“Shit,” he said succinctly and moved to his bed, grabbing his phone and sitting at the end of it.  Ten past midnight. Not that late. He needed to call Lowell, or Deborah. Unlocking it quickly, he went to his dial pad and paused.

The little icon for recent calls was in typical grey scale, but there was no tiny red dot outlining any missed calls.

Which was impossible. A call is what woke him up to begin with. “What the…” He pressed his finger to the icon anyway, bringing up the list of recent calls he’d had, seeing the one he’d received from Nolan the day before, which still gave him some residual irritation.  There was nothing from tonight there.

Shaking his head, Stiles went to the WhatsApp icon on his home screen, feeling an uptick in his heart when there were no missed calls or messages there either.

“No, no, no,” he repeated, dropping the phone to the quilt and holding up his hands in front of his face.  He couldn’t still be dreaming. He couldn’t do this again. “1, 2, 3...” he counted, hitting five fingers on each side. “What?” More confused than before, he looked up and around. Was there something in here with him?  Couldn’t be. He’d used silicon tubing from a hardware store, filled it with mountain ash, and laid it behind the moulding around the circumference of his apartment two days after moving in.  After his crash-course tutoring session from Derek’s resident witch and mage-empath, Deborah and Lowell, from the compound, he could feel the active magic of the boundary. It hadn’t been broken or disturbed. He was safe.  A little panicked, for sure, but completely alone. Which could only mean...

Stiles looked to his hands again.  

‘ _Is it me?_ ’

Lowell had warned him that once he woke his Spark, using more than just parlour tricks with mountain ash, it would begin to grow stronger.  The wards he’d helped to strengthen had touched on some old, strong magic. Old magic with older roots buried in the grounds surrounding the compound Derek lived on.  The very size and nature of what he’d done with them had tapped into the very core of his personality. Protection. It’s what he did. It was who he was inside. Lowell told him once he set down this path, there would be no turning back.

Didn’t help that once he had the process for the wards down, he’d repeatedly done it over and over again for all his friends and family.

Something odd caught his attention. Through his fingers, Stiles was momentarily distracted by an odd shadow in the carpet under the dresser.  He lowered his hands as he moved forward to crawl on the floor, an even odder thought coming to mind suddenly.

He’d stubbed his toe.

Stiles never stubbed his toe on this dresser, because it was never in the way of his exit, nor was it ever directly below the light switch.  Sitting back on his haunches, Stiles marvelled up at the wooden chest of drawers. Had his magic moved his dresser while he was sleeping? Had he sleepwalked? But… why move his dresser?  Glancing back to his bed, Stiles ran a hand down his face in thought. He’d been sleeping, he-

His ass dropped the last few inches to the floor.  “A nightmare.” He’d been dreaming, dreaming about hunters coming after his friends – coming after him.  They’d cut through all of them. Killed them all and then turned to Stiles, and he’d run. Run and locked himself in behind-

Looking up at his door, and then to his dresser, Stiles took in a silent gasping breath and scooted backwards so that his back was plastered against his bed.  His hands felt around blindly for his phone.

Everything hadn’t just moved to the left.  Everything was moving to the door.

“Fuck. It was _barricading me in_ ,” he whispered in dawning realisation, his fingers dialling numbly.

***

Theo stood at the front of the small makeshift classroom and waited for an answer.  “Well?”

The group looked at him like he’d asked them a question in a completely different language.  Though, he supposed, to them, he had. He called on Trevor, who, since he started teaching them about the types of abilities they’d be working on last week, had made it distinctly clear that learning in a classroom wasn’t going to help him.

“There aren’t anymore to name and all the ones we know are already up there. I don’t even know what you’re talking about anymore. What are lateral lines?”

Before Theo could answer, a voice piped up.  “They’re changes in pressure used to sense movement and vibrations around you.  Fish use them all the time.” They all turned to the door of the classroom. Peter Hale had his arms crossed, regarding Trevor when the young teen snorted and commented on the fact that they weren’t fish, so – again – what was the point?  “You’re a wolf. You ever get blinded by hunters?”

Trevor was looking at Peter like he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to mouth off to him.  Theo smirked and hopped up to sit on the table at the front of the room. This might be fun.

Trevor stared.  His home had been attacked, but he’d been at the mall with friends.  His mother had called him, telling him where to meet them all and he had. When he arrived, the much smaller group and why they were all so terrified confused him.  “No.” He couldn’t lie. He knew Peter already knew what happened.

“Hmm.”  Peter turned to the Chimera this time.  “What about you, Theo?” he asked in a knowing tone.

Theo stopped playing with the whiteboard marker he’d used to write the words on the board.  He gave Peter an obvious look, but noticed how everyone suddenly became interested in him, even Trevor. He sighed. Peter certainly had a talent for being dramatic. He looked up in thought. “I was… thirteen?  They used flash-bang arrowheads.” His brows furrowed reflexively remembering the brightness. “It’s like a searing pain that strips away your eyesight.”  He looked up at the class.

“There’s a science behind it. They use red, green, and blue LEDs to produce the white light. The blue end of the light spectrum has powerful-enough radiation to do real damage if they use enough of it at a short enough distance.”  He gestured to his eyes. “Detonation that’s close enough puts energy all over your retina, not just on one spot. So your eyes can’t form an image of the centre point of the light, like it would with a camera flash from a further distance away.” He looked around the room before he focused on Trevor.

“Wolves, regular old run-of-the-mill wolves, they have a tapetum lucidum, a reflective layer behind their retina.”  He huffed. “It’s what makes their eyes glow in pictures with a flash, as it’s so sensitive to light. It helps them see better in the dark.” His expression sobered a bit. “We have something like it. And that much energy from a flash so close, using that much blue light?” He shook his head. “It takes a while for our retina cells to heal and return to normal, because we’re so sensitive to it as well.

“You keep your eyes closed.”  As he spoke, his sight looked off into the middle distance. “Doesn’t matter if you keep them open, really, but you feel better with them closed.” He looked around the room, met some gazes.  “Safer. You can’t think, you can’t say anything in case the noise brings them to you. And if they get to you, who knows what they can throw in your eyes while you’re so disoriented?  So, you keep them closed.” He took in an audible breath, like he was fortifying himself. “The effects wear off, eventually, but not soon enough. And the echoes of it stay with you for hours. The light in your eyes doesn’t go away for a while.  Neither does the burn.” His eyes squinted a little, like he could still feel a phantom sting.

“How long were you like that?” Teresa, a young Werecoyote, asked.

Theo looked at her.  “I was caught out at night.  When my sight came back, it was daylight already, past morning.”

“How did you get away?” Trevor asked this time.

Theo thought back.  “It was – it was weird.  Like I could tell where they were without seeing them? It came like a sense of dread if I turned one way and relief if I went in another.  I called it a gut instinct, but I ran into a Werepanther a couple years later who told me what it really was once I got us out of some hot water without a proper explanation.”

“What happened?”

Theo smiled at their interest, and the fact that they seemed to have collectively shifted forward in their seats.  “Unfortunately my exploits as a wayward high school dropout are not what this class is about.”  He looked to the door in time to see Peter leaving. “Back to my original question, what other extra senses do we have?  Go.”

***

“Thanks for that.”

Peter turned his head from his lounging position on the windowsill.  He’d appropriated some cushions from the reading corner and placed them along the wood framing the bottom ledge of the window.  He was using them to read in the mid-afternoon light.

Peter turned back to his book.  “No problem. Would have been better if you weren’t lying though.”

Theo nodded slowly.  He figured that was par for the course.  “I wasn’t lying. Well... I suppose I lied a bit.”  He smiled bitterly. “I was eleven. Not thirteen.”

Peter turned back, his eyes narrow now.  “Trevor is thirteen.” Those eyes looked like they had a smidgen of respect in them for the deception.

Theo shrugged with one shoulder.  “All the better to relate to him.”  He stared pointedly. “Which I assumed was your point.”

Peter looked highly amused and barely nodded acknowledging him. “My, what lies you have, Grandma.”  Yes. Definitely respect. “That aside, I did come with news for you.  Congrats on the teaching gig, by the way.”

Theo ignored that last bit.  Peter had been gone for weeks now.  When Derek had come to him, giving him all the reasons Peter had mentioned over dinner the night they met again, he’d held in his amusement and ignored Ella’s giggles.  He’d given Derek an answer almost immediately, as he’d had time to think about it already, surprising Derek and pleasing both Ella and Adam. Ella was almost eleven, so she’d get to join his classes soon.  But he didn’t feel like stroking Peter’s knowitall ego today. “What news?”

“Derek wants to see you.  We’re to go to his office at your earliest convenience.”

Theo cocked an eyebrow.  “You couldn’t have told me that in the doorway?”

Peter put a hand over his chest.  “And let your children know you’ve been called to the Principal’s office?”  He hopped off the sill and dropped the book he’d been reading on the table.  “For shame, Theodore.”

Theo cast his eyes heavenward and followed Peter out.

Derek was in the middle of a meeting, but Peter either didn’t know or didn’t care.  Perhaps both. He sat on the unoccupied sofa along the wall as Derek addressed the men standing in front of his desk.  Derek ignored his uncle, turning to Theo who continued to stand awkwardly in the doorway. He beckoned him in with a gesture of his head and kept talking.  Theo closed the door behind him and sat next to Peter.

Derek finished warning the group that they may have to tighten security.  “The lone alpha was spotted even closer in Georgetown. An alpha with no pack is unstable and will be looking to make a new one.”  Derek paused. “But he isn’t biting anyone. So it’s likely that he’s just stable enough to not want to risk turning a human, which means he’s looking to claim a packless beta.  There are a barrel full right here.” He gave them a sheet of paper each. “We’re taking shifts in larger numbers until we get reinforcements from surrounding packs to gather here.”

“Okay.  We’ll get everyone together, let them know,” Malcolm said.  He was a beta coyote. He’d been thrown out of his pack by his father, who’d wanted to absorb his power, but lost in a fight against his own son.  When Malcolm wanted to work things out, the man had kicked him out of their home instead. By the time Derek found him, he’d been running from hunters for weeks.

When the group of men left, Peter whistled.  “Look at you, becoming a soldier among men.”

Derek rolled his eyes.  “What do you want, Peter?”

“I was delivering your Chimera.  You wanted to talk to him.”

Derek looked at Theo, whose eyes were volleying between them.  “And why are you _still_ here, Peter?” Derek asked Peter with a put upon tone.

Peter sighed wistfully.  “Guess I’m not needed anymore.”  He got up. “Honestly, you think I’d get some gratitude. Al parecer vivo solo por entregar correo,” he muttered, though he obviously intended it for Derek to hear. He ignored Derek’s deadpan, unimpressed look and walked to the door.  “I’ll just go get something to eat and be on my way, then.”

“Visit Adam.”  Peter turned to Theo who’d spoken.  “He finally completed his first meringue last week.  He saved you a couple shells.”

Peter’s eyebrows rose considering the information.  “I think I shall.” The door closed behind him.

Theo refocused on Derek, who was now at his computer typing.  “Your mail came.” Derek gestured to three envelopes on the desk in front of him.

Theo looked at him, confused.  He didn’t get mail. He was legally dead.  He picked them up, looking them over. All of them had his name on them, typed on a label, though there was no address which meant they were hand delivered. Two of them were thin, with a seal on the top corner of each. The last one was a little thicker and lined with puffy bubble wrap inside.  

Theo glanced up at Derek, who was still typing and not paying him any attention. He debated whether to ask and sighed, figuring it would be better than being ordered to stay. “Do I have to open them here?”

Derek looked at him then, his fingers frozen over the keyboard.  It almost looked like he was startled at the question. “What? Why?”

Theo shrugged.  “I figured-”

Derek’s eyes narrowed as he cut him off.  “You figured I wouldn’t trust you enough to open your own mail in private?” His incredulity was laced throughout that entire sentence.  Now Theo felt stupid for asking. Derek sighed. “Look, Theo. I don’t know for sure what happened to you when you were on your own, but there isn’t a reason for me to suspect that you’re going to kill me with your mail.  Especially since I have a good idea what it is. But that’s beside the point.” He dismissed that altogether. “Up to this point, since you arrived, I haven’t seen anything to make me think you’re gonna pull a Deucalion and murder everyone here.”

“But Scott-”

Derek shook his head.  “I don’t care what Scott says.”  Surprise. Total abject surprise. Theo was shocked silent with it.  Derek looked like he knew it. “Scott wasn’t the one who called me and asked if I could take you in.”

 _Christ.  That’s worse._ “Stiles hates me.”  And, though he wouldn't admit it out loud, the human had more than enough reasons.

Derek looked amused.  “Evidently, not enough.”  He sat back in his chair.

Not knowing what to say to that, Theo looked at the three envelopes in his hand.  He opened the first one with the Department of State seal on it, forgoing the SSA for now.  “Notice of…” he read in the subject line, his voice going weak. He sat down, his heartbeat suddenly loud in his own ears.  “I’m not dead anymore.” He tore open the next envelope and saw his replacement social security card and number attached to the letter inside.  His finger ran over the perforation for a second before he turned his attention to the last envelope. It was larger than the other two, wasn’t marked with an official seal and had a replacement copy of his birth certificate and a valid US passport.

Derek just sat there observing him in silence.  Weeks ago, when Peter sat where Theo was now and told Derek that the Chimera’s potential was being wasted, he’d let his uncle speak and then told him to do what he needed to do.  The idea that Theo was someone Peter was advocating for made him wary as hell, especially after what Stiles had told him. But spending all this time with Theo, seeing him with Ella and Adam, with the rest of the people on the compound, it let Derek see what Peter had witnessed immediately.  A young boy who’d made a fatal mistake and then – once he’d realised what he’d done – spent the rest of his time so far trying to fix it.

Derek knew – intimately – what that felt like.  He knew Peter did, too. “No, you’re not.  Means you now have to decide on what you want to do.  Means you now have a responsibility to live.”

Theo snorted.  “You mean contribute.”

Derek shook his head once, as if Theo wasn’t getting the point.  “No. I mean live,” he repeated. “As in: instead of exist,” he sassed.

Theo sat back.  Exist. That’s what he’d been doing for weeks now.  Helping everyone a little, but not committing to any one task.  Playing it safe, not spending too much time with anyone in case he had to leave.  All except Ella and Adam, obviously, who wouldn’t let that fly if he tried. Theo looked at the documents in his hands, and then around the office.

His gaze flickered over the photographs there, freezing this time as he took in something that wasn't there all those weeks ago. A group of people in the soft light of dawn were bent in one of the photographs, their backs stretching to praise the sun on an, honestly, disgusting amount of blankets. There were two photos, side by side - obviously taken the same day as they were wearing the same clothes - but one was a zoomed in picture of Theo, with Ella and Adam bracketing him, their faces barely seen in the shadows between their legs but for the white of their wide smiles as they did the downward dog.

There was an impressive, intense heat prickling behind his eyes. Before he embarrassed himself more, Theo tore his gaze away and let it be drawn out the window to the courtyard and the spread of greenery beyond.  “Do I have to leave?” he asked quietly, not taking his eyes off the people walking back and forth.

“Do you want to leave?” he heard and finally met Derek’s eyes, laser focused and watching him in return.  Theo knew that, if he wanted, Derek wouldn’t stop him.

So, Theo thought of leaving, of taking his freedom, getting out and not looking back.  He thought of trying to make it on his own again, going from job to job and living out of his car because there was no way he would be able to afford somewhere to live.  He thought of taking his chances again in Beacon Hills and came to a dead stop.

It was like the two pictures were all he could see now. Fuck it. Derek would hear his heartbeat anyway. “No.” It felt like his heart was beating in his throat.

Derek shrugged, focus gone, like it wasn’t ever a big deal.  “Then don’t leave.”

Theo shook his head, confused. It wasn’t that easy.  Couldn’t be that easy. “But… I can’t stay forever.”  Nothing was forever. He’d learned that time and time again.

Derek cocked an eyebrow.  “No one stays anywhere forever, Theo.”  His head tilted to the side, catching the Chimera’s gaze, making sure the words stuck.  “But you _are_ welcome, as long as you want to stay.” He let a small smile bleed through.  “I know of a couple people, especially, who’d hate to see you go.”

Theo's gaze cemented on the photographs this time, immediately thinking of Ella, Peter’s Tiny Dancer, who wanted to be a Ballerina as soon as she learned control. He thought of Adam – so salty already – who wanted to cook and have his own restaurant.  Who drew abstract vegetables to stick on his wall because he was a tangible ball of adorable, but so unbelievably, unapologetically weird.

Theo thought of yoga sessions on piles of blankets in the field at sunrise. How now, over a month later, it was an actual class of twenty eight, instead of their group of three messing around and falling over to the sounds of a sedate YouTuber giving them instructions to an Enya backing track.  He took in a silent, deep breath and exhaled. “Is, er... is that teaching position open to being permanent?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Passive Aggressive Spanish Peter* says: 'Apparently I live solely to deliver mail.'
> 
> Y’all know that Peter would be bilingual, especially if Derek was. Even if the family doesn’t have Spanish roots, you really need to convince me that Peter didn’t use this as an opportunity to bad-talk people knowing they couldn’t understand him.
> 
> Come find me on tumblr! @olimakiella


	3. Chapter 3

Scott felt himself smile as he dropped his rucksack down on one of the seats in the waiting area.  The Beacon Hills Veterinarian Clinic had been like a second home to him for a long time, even before he became a Werewolf.  He remembered Alan Deaton smiling at him when he and Stiles had brought in a kitten that they’d found behind a dumpster in their last year of middle school.  Scott would never forget how Deaton had taken one look at him and seen how much he didn’t want to leave the kitten alone. The man had smiled and offered the newly single - and very obviously frustrated - RN McCall the option to house the kitten until it got better and to allow her son to visit it after school. Perhaps even earn some pocket money doing odd jobs around the clinic until she was able to pick him up after work.

Scott remembered not understanding why his mom’s eyes were wet that afternoon, because it sounded like an awesome idea to him.  Needless to say, six years later, he’d fallen in love with the profession and, since he was now in college studying to become a veterinarian, the idea of returning to the clinic for the long weekend in Beacon Hills was like coming home in more than one way.

He smiled at Mason, who held open the hinged countertop, and walked past the hidden mountain ash barrier with no problems.  He could hear Liam talking softly with Corey inside of Deaton’s last operating room. But Scott’s smile stuttered, and his steps slowed a little, when he realised he could smell blood. Liam's blood. He sped up, crossing the doorway and rushed towards the last room at the back.

“What happened?” he asked, eyeing the nasty scratch on Liam’s leg that Deaton was tending to with gauze and gloves.

Liam looked up at him, something calm settling in his features when Scott walked into the room.  Next to him, Corey gave a small wave and a smile where he leaned against the table. “Deaton thinks it’s a Wyvern?” Liam said, checking with the vet who nodded at him.

Scott looked confused, having never heard of anything like that before. “What’s that?” he asked wondering why everyone seemed so calm..

“It’s related to dragons!” Mason said, eyes wide in excitement as he returned to Corey’s side.  "Dragons are real!" Corey nodded at his exclamation and patted his arm.

Everyone except Mason, apparently.  The young man handed him a book that rested on the counter, the page marked with his finger.  He’d obviously been reading it before Scott called to say he was outside. “Dragons are actually real. Look!” His enthusiasm made Scott jump as he then tried to read what Mason’s finger was pointing at.  Scott’s mouth opened, but nothing came out. He looked to Deaton in question.

The vet didn’t seem very upset or concerned, a mindset Liam seemed to be following.  “They have no scent and don’t even really make a lot of noise. They keep to themselves and hardly cause any problems.  It’s odd that this one is roaming around,” Alan said as he focused on Liam’s wound.

Oh.  Okay.  So, different but not usually dangerous.  Probably provoked, might have even been attacked and was lashing out at the first thing it saw.  “How do we find it?” he asked conversationally, more comfortable now that he had more information.

Deaton made a face like he wasn’t sure.  That didn’t bode well. “Never had to before.  People don't usually go looking for Wyverns. This will be as much of a learning experience for me as it will be for you.”

“Did you have news for us?” Liam asked.

Scott stepped forward to look over Deaton’s shoulder.  His arms crossed over his chest and he winced in sympathy when Liam’s leg jumped reflexively at the sting.  He could feel his own shoulders hunch, arming against the sympathetic pain. “Yeah,” he said, eyes following the soluble stitches.  Liam wasn’t healing as fast, which meant there was something in the Wyvern’s scratch that was stopping it. Yet the presence of the stitches told him that Deaton believed it would heal eventually. So whatever it is would wear off. Interesting. “The alpha was last seen in Georgetown,” he began, “but Munroe is all the way up in Salem.  She’s not tracking him anymore, if she ever was.” No one could be sure what that woman was doing now. She seemed to have eyes everywhere and nowhere all at once.

Liam’s head cocked to the side.  “What’s in Oregon?”

Scott shrugged.  “Don’t know. I may go up there when I have some more time, but not right now.”  He leaned back against one of the stainless steel counters. “How’s everything here? Besides the Wyvern.”  It didn’t seem like much of a threat, according to Deaton. As the vet finished the last stitch, he began packing away his supplies and pulled off his blue neoprene gloves to discard it all in the red bin to the side.

Liam shrugged.  “Not much. It’s actually been pretty quiet.  I only got hit by the tail so...”

Scott nodded.  “Cool.” He looked up then as Mason caught his eye. The arching gestures with his arms and the rapid blinking had Scott squinting to figure out what he was miming.  “How’s... Theo?” he asked and Mason nodded. Scott snapped his attention to Liam when his beta reacted to the name rather wildly.  Lifting his head from inspecting his stitches with wide eyes and flushed skin.

“What?”  Liam visibly calmed himself, evening out his breath deliberately to settle his heartbeat.  It was a trick that Stiles had taught him ages ago, which made Scott curious. “I don’t know.” Behind Liam, Deaton was smiling and shaking his head as he washed his hands and then exited the room, likely to begin closing up.  Mason was rolling his eyes, looking fed up at Liam’s response. This was probably something he’d been trying to bring up or get Liam to face. Scott new the feeling, Stiles did exactly the same thing if he was avoiding something, too.

Now Scott was suspicious, and beginning to understand why Mason was making him get Liam to talk about it.  His go to was Lydia for problems with his best friend, as she seemed to be the only one close enough for Scott to contact who wouldn’t get distracted or take Stiles’ shit laying down.  “You don’t know?” It didn’t take Mason’s frantic gestures to figure out there was something wrong there. “After all you did to get him to Derek?”

Liam shrugged with one shoulder.  “Not like there’s a number,” he grumbled.  “And I’ve maxed out my dial-a-Stiles card, thanks to Nolan.”  If Nolan were there, instead of working another night shift at the hospital, he'd be glaring at him. His legs kicked back and forth under the table he sat on instead.

Scott watched Liam fondly and stood up from his lean to walk over to the surgical table, where Liam still sat looking at his hands in his lap.  He nodded at Mason and Corey and gestured for them to leave with a nod of his head towards the door. “But... hasn’t he been there since the end of August or something?  It’s the middle of November.” He idly watched the couple edge out of the room quietly.

“I know.”

Scott nodded and turned to lean next to his beta.  He’d learned with Liam it was always easier to get him to talk when he didn’t have to look at you. It coaxed him into making eye contact when he was ready. Liam always tried to face things head on. Starting at his side guaranteed he’d eventually turn. “And you haven’t spoken to him, like, at all? You just dropped him off and left him there?” Scott asked.

Liam turned his head to look at him angrily.  “What else can I do!”

Scott shrugged with one shoulder, arms still crossed over his chest.  He kept his voice purposefully calm “You could visit?” he suggested.

Liam frowned.  “No, I can’t!”

Scott’s eyebrows raised at the force behind the exclamation.  “Why not? You know where it is.”

“I - but shouldn’t I let him know I’m coming?  I can’t call Stiles.”

Scott considered that.  “Who says you have to call him?”  Scott got up again and turned to face Liam head on to prevent the beta from jumping down so soon.  Enough excuses. “Why don’t you want to see him?” He cocked his head to the side.

Liam looked away. “I don’t - I -”  He sighed and hopped off the table.  “Mason, Corey and Nolan think I like him.”

Scott waited.  When nothing else came, he squinted.  “Okay?” His mouth formed words before he said simply, “I don’t get it.”

Liam, obviously assuming Scott hadn’t got the message, repeated.  “ _Like_ him.  Like, _like him,_ like him.”

Scott cocked an eyebrow.  “No, I got that part,” he reassured him with a smile.  “What I don’t get is why that’s a problem.” He looked like he was still trying to figure it out in his head.  Like a maths problem.

Liam paused.  “You don’t under-”

“Liam... do you like him?” Scott asked gently this time.  Liam’s mouth opened to answer. Nothing came out. Scott looked at his beta fondly.  “It’s okay if you do, you know? No one’s going to judge you for it. Or because it’s Theo you like.”  Which he had a feeling was one of the bigger problems.

Liam scratched behind his ear idly. “Stiles will,” he muttered easily.

Scott gave a crooked grin holding in laughter.  “Stiles would judge Gandhi on his life choices if you gave him a chance.”  He noticed the small smile on Liam’s face, glad he could put it there. “Just means he cares.”  Liam looked up at him. “So what’s stopping you? Really.”

Liam sighed.  “I just...” His hands covered his face momentarily.  He huffed, frustrated. “I didn’t even notice!” he exclaimed.  “Scott, I didn't notice. Shouldn't I have noticed something like that? It just happened so...”

“Naturally?” Scott suggested with a soft smile.

Liam glanced at him before he nodded, looking down at his hands.  “But everyone - Mason, Corey, Nolan, _even Stiles_ they - they noticed.”

Scott raised his hand a little.  “I noticed, too. A little.”

Liam looked mortified.  “What? Oh god.” He cradled his head in his hands again, leaning on the operating table this time to support his mortified weight.

Scott looked perplexed.  “Was I not supposed to?”

“No!” Liam said muttering into the stainless steel, feeling more embarrassed than ever.  “Cos if you did, he definitely did!”

There was an insult in there, somewhere, but Scott let it go.  “Theo?” Scott asked.

“Yes!”

Scott waited in silence, letting Liam calm down.  “You don’t want him to know?” he said realising what was making Liam so upset.  “Why?”

“It’s not that.”  Liam licked his lips, biting into the bottom one to stop himself from talking.  But this was Scott. He almost felt compelled to get his help. “If he knew. If I was so _obvious_.  You-”  He hesitated. “-do you think... that’s why he left?”

Scott knew Liam couldn’t have been talking about Theo going to Derek, so he had to mean- “Did he say that?” Scott asked, feeling some grit enter his voice.  He hadn’t meant to sound that way, but Liam’s hesitant voice stirred something protective in him he couldn’t shake if he tried.

Liam shook his head.  “No. He said it was because he was constrained or something.  Too many rules, too little leash, pretty much.”

Scott nodded, feeling the tightness loosen a bit.  “Then, no. I don’t think you’re why he left.” Liam looked up.  “All those rules, you were the only one who never followed them with him.  I’m actually pretty sure you may be the only reason he stayed as long as he did.”  Scott stepped closer to Liam and put his hands on his beta’s shoulders. “You want my advice? Go see him.  Take a weekend. Take Corey and Mason with you for support if you want.” When Liam nodded in agreement, Scott ruffled his hair.  “Come on. Mom invited you for dinner. Let’s get some more information on your Wyvern. I’m back in Sacramento on Monday.”

***

They didn’t find the Wyvern.  Still couldn’t find it, actually.  By the time Thanksgiving had come and gone, Liam was convinced they would have made some headway, but no.  It showed twice after that, but each time Liam was at his wits end trying to catch it, or even figure out where the damn Wyvern was.  Good news was, the lash from its tail healed fine over a course of days with no side effects. There were Christmas decorations going up in the malls and around the school by its fifth appearance with no trace.

Nolan sighed audibly in the dark of the preserve.  “This is useless, we’re not going to find it.”

Liam kicked a rock.  “This thing has been around for weeks and all I get are chance encounters before it gets away.  We don’t even know what it wants! I suck at tracking.”

”Yeah, you really do,” Corey said guilelessly.  Nolan snorted in amusement.

“No,” Mason mediated with a pointed look at his boyfriend and put up a hand to stop Liam before he started yelling.  “You don’t. This thing is just untrackable.”

Oh. Well, that made him feel worlds better.  “Wonderful,” he muttered and turned away from them all to stare off into the trees.

Mason sighed.  “Come on. It’s late.  We’ll try again tomorrow.”  The group of dejected teens turned to head back to the road.

When they got back to the car, Corey turned the heating on as soon as possible and they sat there getting warm for a moment before Mason started to drive.  Corey turned to his side, bringing up his legs so he could sit comfortably. “You know. Tracking is easy once you know how to do it.”

Liam looked across at him from his seat behind Mason.  “Do you know how? Because if you do and you’ve been holding out on me all this time, that's not friendship.”  Next to him, Nolan laughed quietly.

Corey shook his head.  “No,” he lamented. “Theo tried to teach me, but I never got the hang of it.  Tracy was always better than I was.” He turned his head to look out at the road through the windshield.

Nolan sat forward.  “Theo knows how to track?”

Corey turned back to him. “Yeah.  He was on his own for a long time.  Had to learn all kinds of things when he was with the Dread Doctors.  Not like they were world providers or anything.”

The car became quiet, with just the background noise of the radio playing ' _I Drove All Night_ ' by Celine Dion.

Mason gasped quietly as they stopped at a traffic light. He put the car in neutral and turned around to face Liam.  Liam, who was barely listening, only snapped to attention when he realised his best friend had turned to watch him point blank.  “What?” he asked.

“We can’t track, but we know someone who can,” he declared and simply stared, waiting for Liam to get it.  Mason nodded once he saw a spark of recognition in Liam's eyes as Celine powered through a chorus.  He turned back around just as the light turned green, signalled and turned right. Liam, finally realising what Mason was proposing, started to shake his head as his eyes widened in dread.

Corey simply smiled as he looked out the windscreen.  “Thank god it’s Friday.” He pulled down his visor and caught Nolan’s eye in the mirror, grinning maniacally.  “Hey Nolan?"  When the teen looked up to meet his eyes in the reflection, Corey angled his gaze to Liam, who was now arguing with Mason to ' _not do this to me_ ' and said, "We’re gonna need to call Stiles.” 

***

A hand smacked at the book that lay on Theo’s stomach and he snapped awake, sitting up in the library where he’d fallen asleep.  His startle response had his arm flailing out.  Derek had to lean back to avoid a limb to the face as Theo woke up to look around.  “You’re worse than Stiles. And that’s saying something.”

“What the...”  Theo rubbed his eyes. Letting the book fall to the side.  Christ.  He had to get a handle on this.  Prior to living on the compound, Theo never fell asleep anywhere public - especially this public - or this deeply.  Prior to living here, he'd never felt safe enough to try.  Jury was out on whether it was a blessing or a curse.  He cleared his throat and calmed his heart, grabbing his book before it fell to the ground.

“That for your GED?”  Derek said angling his head.  He knew Theo had ordered books, but he hadn’t pried much into what they were.  

Theo cleared his throat.  “Yeah. I was-” He frowned and looked around again, realising they were alone.  “Peter was here quizzing me. I don’t even remember falling asleep.” He rubbed at his eyes tiredly.

Derek’s eyebrows rose in surprise.  It was a bit of a coin toss on whether Peter’s sudden altruistic streak with Theo was a good or bad thing.  He decided to keep an eye out.

“Why did you wake me up?” Theo asked propping himself up on an elbow.  He stared balefully at Derek, promising unpleasant things if he was woken up for no good reason.

Derek watched him for a second, long enough that Theo began to wonder what was wrong.  Then Derek reached down and picked up a bag of something green and a bag of something purple.

Theo sat up properly, thoughts of revenge plots forgotten.  He recognised the two bags easily.  “They came?” He let his head fall back. “ _Yees_ ,” he stressed.  “I’ve been dying for a good cup of coffee. “Where’s it from?” He yawned into his free hand and then sniffed as he blinked his eyes.  He stretched awkwardly on the chair, since Derek wasn’t moving, to wake up properly.

Derek dropped the dried purple herbs in his right hand, letting it fall to ground by Theo’s empty dinner plate.  He’d told both Theo and Peter to stop eating in the library, but knew instantly that their presence on the ground was instigated by Peter. He’d have to talk to his uncle again. He turned the other bag around in his left hand as Theo stretched.  “Peter said he couldn’t get French. These are...” He read through the labelling on the bag. “Ethiopian.”

Theo froze.  “For real?” His eyes nearly glistened with bliss.  He got up and grabbed the dried monkshood from the floor.  “Get up. Call Lowell and let’s go. Where’s my roaster?” he muttered to himself.  He walked the corridors with Derek behind him until he got to his room. He dropped the ziplock bag of herbs on the floor and rested his plate on the covers to dig under his bed.  “ _There you are,_ ” he said with relish and backed out again. He got up and left the room, grabbing the herbs and plate on the way. “To the Mess Hall.”

When they arrived at the newly renovated space, it was to a mostly empty room, which made sense.  Dinner was at seven, it was nearing nine now. They walked past everyone to go directly into the kitchen.  “Evening, Clyde, can I borrow a counter?” he said putting down the plate and grabbing the bag of dried flowers that he’d placed on top.

Clyde Sawyer cocked an eyebrow at their approach.  He looked even more like he suspected something when Theo put down a coffee roaster and a bag of dried monkshood.  “What in seven hells are you fixing to do with that?” he asked incredulously, looking at the bag like it was about to attack him.

Theo smiled at him.  “I’m gonna to make you a happy Southern Werewolf, is what I’m going to do.”  He nodded across at Lesley Sawyer, Clyde’s wife. “Gonna make Lesley feel as though I’m fixing to steal you.” He winked at her.

Lesley laughed and hit him with her tea towel.  She pulled up a nearby stool with her foot. “Now this I got to see.”  

Theo ducked out of the way and went to move the pots off the stove.  He leaned over and switched on the ventilation hood. “Can I get a tea bag or a coffee filter?”  He turned to Derek. “I need your diffuser.”

Derek narrowed his eyes.  Theo huffed. Derek had an unhealthy attachment to that thing.  “Why?” he almost growled.

“I need the metal cage of it to act as a barrier for the monkshood.”

“Monkshood!” Clyde exclaimed and turned to Derek for an explanation.  “I knew it was wolfsbane, but _monkshood_?! What the hell is going on?”

Lesley’s eyebrows were high on her forehead.  “Not feeling the jealousy yet, Theo,” Lesley said from his other side.

Theo rolled his eyes.  “You guys have to trust me, for this to be a thing."  He maintained eye contact with Derek.  "Can you trust me just a little, Derek? You went this far.”  He held up the bags of dried produce.

Derek stared at him a little longer, obviously debating on whether he should go any further.  Theo actually heard a small growl under Derek’s breath before he went to a far cupboard to get the cup he usually drank from.  Clyde and Lesley, once the Mess Hall had been officially renovated, took over management of the kitchen, and allowed Derek a small cupboard for his things so he didn’t have to keep taking everything back to his room or his office in the evenings.  He came back with the small stainless steel strainer ball on a chain.

There was a clay letter ‘D’ charm hanging from it between his fingers.  Theo restrained his snort and took it. He twisted the jumpring that connected it to the chain and handed that back to Derek only to see Derek’s hands balled into tight fists.  “Derek,” he said carefully when Derek’s eyes flashed blue. “It’s not broken. I am only detaching it this one time to show you how it’s done. After this I will reattach it like it was never apart, okay?”

Derek watched Theo dead in the eyes.  “You better.”

Theo watched Derek drop the charm and chain, sans diffuser, into his mug and hold it to his chest.  Theo nodded as he took in a breath. “Okay,” he said to the room awkwardly. “So, meet the SRF-500 roaster.  I bought her secondhand at the beginning of summer and she’s going to blow your minds. I guarantee.” He took the tea bag that Clyde handed him and went to the sink to pick up the gloves there.  He handed the tea bag to Lesley and asked her very solemnly, “Detach the string and empty the tea leaves in the bin for me. I want the full string and the empty bag when you’re done. Got it?”

Lesley nodded very seriously.  “Got it.”

He let her go and put on the gloves.  “I need tweezers, or salad tongs.”

“I have salad tongs!” Clyde declared and went to get them.  

Theo bypassed Derek, who was still watching him as he held his mug close to his chest.  “Open that window for me. The more ventilation the better.” Once the window was open, Theo cracked open the ziplock of monkshood.  Taking the salad tongs that Clyde gave him, he pulled out the equivalent of the ‘pinch’ he’d been using at home and placed it in the empty tea bag when Lesley handed it to him.  He then took the string that had been attached and tied the top of the tea bag tight before stuffing the whole thing into the diffuser and clicking it shut.

Taking off his gloves, Theo explained, “When I was experimenting, I tried putting it in with instant.  Made me sick. Too strong,” he began.  “I tried boiling it and diluting it into the coffee in degrees of strength. Took too long to kick in each time.”  He picked up the chamber and dipped it into the large bag of green beans. “Anna, at the _Beacon Beanery_ , where I worked for a while, she told me that ever since she started working there she noticed that the coffee was actually better than other coffee chains in the county.  She figured out it was because the shop roasts their beans - on site - every evening. She tried doing it at home, said it was extra good. So I gave it a shot.” He shrugged as he locked the chamber in place and stuffed the diffuser into the chamber with the beans.  “Took a few tries until I didn’t outright burn them, had to adjust the fan a few times and regulate how many beans I put in at a time.” He locked the top and switched it on.

“Give it fifteen minutes.”  He turned to Derek. “You need to get that mage in here soon.”  Derek nodded and left the kitchen, putting his mug down on a counter as he left.  He came back about ten minutes later to see Theo sitting at a prep station in the kitchen talking with Clyde and Lesley.  He sent a short reply to the text he’d been reading as he held the door open for Deborah and Lowell. The resident witch and mage siblings looked intrigued, but wary.  Theo had sat with them a few times for lunch over the last couple of months, learnt that they’d come to the compound after hunters tore apart their coven in North Carolina.  Theo was still wary of being around them for too long. Lowell was an empath as well as a mage, and having someone know how you’re feeling all the time was a little overwhelming.  Lowell didn’t take it personally, said he often felt the same.

“What’s going on?” Lowell asked looking around, picking up on the edges of anxiety and excitement.

Theo stood up from where he’d been talking to Clyde and Lesley.  “Infusing wolfsbane into coffee, making it so the Weres can finally get a caffeine fix every morning.”  He nodded at Derek. “You guys have a really good system going, but I can make it better. I can actually give your coffee machine a reason for living.”

Clyde scoffed and rolled his eyes heavenward.  “He’s been saying this since you left. I still don’t believe it.”

Theo rolled his eyes.  “Listen,” he said addressing Lowell and his sister.  “Usually you roast beans about a day or two before your press them to ensure that all the moisture is gone.”  He gestured to the roaster. “Can you age them so that can happen? Or else we’ll have to wait the long way to _prove me right._ ”  He pointedly looked at Clyde. Clyde gestured politely with his middle finger.

Lowell and Deborah looked amused and a little perplexed.  “That’s all you need? To age some coffee beans?” Lowell sounded like he expected a catch.

Theo nodded.  “Age one batch by a day, another by two and I’ll do a third batch to wait the long way round.  He looked at Lesley and Clyde. “From then on, you guys can roast every evening for the next days, like we did at the _Beanery_. Can even get a larger roaster.  That’s if you even like it.” And they would, Theo was sure.  “I can show you the process, explain the precautions you have to take.”

Lowell shrugged.  “That’s fine. I can do that.  As long as that’s what you really want?”

Theo frowned, looked over at Derek.  “Er?” he asked, confused at their suspicious attitude.

Derek crossed his arms over his chest.  “They were on the run from hunters for a while, had to sell services.  They’re not used to our brand of... benign curiosity.”

Theo made an ‘o’ with his mouth.  “Yeah... no, I just want good coffee.  You in?” he said blithely.

Lowell and Deborah shared a look and then nodded.  At the same time, the coffee roaster’s fan shut off.  Theo grinned. “Excellent. Just in time.”

“I smell coffee.”  They turned to see Peter enter the kitchen with Ella in tow.  Adam was probably asleep as it was after nine.  “Actual strong coffee. Is it happening?” He looked at Derek and then at Theo.  “Why didn’t you call me? I’m deeply hurt, Theodore.” A hand went to his chest for good measure.

Theo rolled his eyes.  When he was much younger, his mother had owned a cat.  Peter - over dramatic and unaffected in equal turns - often reminded him of the Russian Blue his mother had adored and fawned over.  The man had made a point to call him Theodore whenever he was reprimanding him for something. He’d confronted the Werewolf with the fact that ‘Theodore’ wasn’t his actual name, even if Peter had taken it upon himself to have it placed on his birth certificate.  Peter, true to form, had just shrugged uncaring as if to say ‘What does that matter? This is what I’m calling you now.’ and then subsequently ignored all other protests and carried on with life.

Theo simply shook his head, giving up, and looked over at Clyde.  “Colander?” Clyde jumped up to fetch one from off a shelf. He emptied the beans into the metal colander and picked out the diffuser with the salad tongs, placing it in the sink.  “Okay, you’re up,” Theo said taking off the bright yellow gloves. “Two days should be good.”

He stepped back and let the siblings do their thing, going instead to the fridge to pull out a jug of milk.  He read the label on it. Full fat. He shrugged. Whatever, they could handle it. He shut the door and went to find mugs.  Once they were all laid out, he switched on the espresso machine and waited for a few minutes. He checked the water and the PID for the boilers, before making a cup of coffee with the old grounds.  He checked the steam wand and quickly switched it on and off to clear any milk away before wiping it down with a cloth.

“What are you doing?”  He jumped and looked to his left, eyeing Peter long enough to make sure he wasn’t laughing.  

“Making a cup with the old grounds seasons the machine for use," Theo said working by rote.  "I’m just making my checks,” he muttered as he tapped out the portafilter into the bin.

There was a slow, sure smile dawning on Peter’s face.  “You don’t want to disappoint anyone,” Peter said quietly.  Knowingly.

Theo threw a quick look in panic to the rest of the room, but they were too entranced by the spell going on next to the sinks.  “Only ever done this for me before,” he hissed. He tipped the old cup of coffee into the sink behind him. “Never had an audience,” he admitted hesitantly.

Peter cocked his head to the side.  “That worries you?”

Theo narrowed his eyes.  “No.” Peter only smirked.  “Shut up.”

Peter raised his hands in surrender.  “Not saying another word.” He backed up a few steps as Deborah came over.

“All done,” Deborah said handing the beans over.  “Here.” Theo took the colander, putting his hand in the beans to make sure they were cool.

“Thanks.”  He got a teaspoon out of a drawer and shovelled some into the grinder.

“They already smell different,” Clyde said coming closer to sniff the beans as they whirred.

Lesley cocked an eyebrow.  “Okay, feeling a little jealousy now.”  Theo grinned at Lesley’s sass, spooning some of the grounds into the portafilter and tamping it down.  He replaced it and set two cups down on either side, hitting a button to get a double shot, one in each cup.

“Then hand me the milk and try to steal him back,” he quipped and winked at her.  She laughed and fetched the milk in the jug he pointed towards, handing it to him.  

“Keep this up I may steal you instead.”  She gave him a kiss on his cheek and left him to it.

Theo shook his head, steaming the milk with the wand before pouring it into the first cup and handing it to Derek.  He poured the remainder into the second cup, and handed it to Peter. He watched them both and waited. Ella came over and hugged him.  

“It’ll be okay.  You’ll see,” she whispered and Theo realised she could smell his nerves.

Derek and Peter shared a glance.

The silence grated.  “You want me to try it first?” Theo asked them, causing them to turn to him.  He then witnessed their familial relation when they both narrowed their eyes at him with a stubborn expression and took a sip at the same time while staring him down.  Theo very nearly held his breath.

Derek reached behind him to grab a seat as he stared down into his cup with flashing blue eyes after he swallowed.  “Oh.” The word was spoken gently, with awe.

Peter simply groaned.  His eyes were also blue when he opened them to stare down at his cup.  “That’s it,” he said with finality, as if coming to a definite decision he’d been pondering for a while.  “I’m adopting you. Derek, say hello to your new cousin.”

Theo laughed, hiding his nerves, and swallowing around a lump in his throat when Derek got up and walked over to him.  “It’s good. You did good.” He put a hand on Theo’s shoulder.

“Your beta eyes are still showing,”  Theo said.

“It’s _really_ good,” Derek reiterated.  “If I weren’t such a man, I’d hug you,” he quipped.

“Screw that,” Peter said and elbowed him out the way.

Clyde, who’d been watching the proceedings with raised eyebrows, took the cup that Derek had put down before walking over.  He took a cautious sip and let it sit on his tongue. “Oh my good Lord,” he said looking up at his wife. “Can we adopt him, too?”

***

Mason looked around and through the passenger window to take everything in.  After a short break in driving, Liam had taken over, letting Mason have the passenger seat and putting Corey in the back with Nolan. The drive had taken much longer with them all together this time.  The breaks were longer too, especially when Nolan had to explain the impromptu trip to his father. The eightish hour journey had taken closer to ten, having them pull up at the compound after nine in the morning.  “This is where Theo is?” he asked. “He’s living in a commune?”

Liam shook his head sending a text to Stiles, as promised.  “Not like a cult.”

Mason stared at him in confusion.  “Why did you think I meant a cult? A commune is an intentional group of people sharing responsibilities and values.  That is what this is right? A group of Werewolves sharing space and working together?”

Liam shrugged.  “I guess.”

Corey edged forward between the seats.  “So how do we get in? That magic is pretty strong.”

“I texted Stiles earlier,” Liam commented placidly.  Not at all as if, prior to this point, he’d done nothing but field constant defence in the backseat, while Nolan had crawled all over him - on Corey’s command - to get Liam’s phone.  The Chameleon had been clapping and cheering Nolan on, as they breezed past the _‘You are now leaving Beacon Hills’_ sign hours ago.  “He texted back saying he’d tell Derek we were coming.  Then he said to let him know when we got here, that Derek would send someone out to get us this time.”  Stiles also said to take plenty of condoms, as the ‘Monkwolf that Derek had become’ may not have any to lend him, but Liam chose not to mention that. He was sure that Stiles had only said it to punish him with embarrassment for calling him again.  He'd deleted the text immediately before anyone saw it.

Someone knocked on Liam’s window.  All four of them jumped and turned to the left to see a young woman standing there smiling.  Liam rolled it down.

“Morning!” she said with a smile.  “You Liam? From McCall’s pack?”

Liam nodded.  “Yeah. Derek said we could come.  Are you who he sent to get us?”

She nodded, smiling wide.  “Sure am. You wanna let your friend there get in the back?” she said gesturing to Mason with a nod.  Liam looked across at Mason, who shrugged and moved to the back while the woman came around and got in.

“I’m Sarah,” she said once the door was closed and held out a hand for him to shake.

Liam shook it with ease.  “Nice to meet you. That’s Mason, Nolan and Corey,” he introduced, pointing to them in turn in the backseat.

She turned to greet them.  “Hi. You guys ready to go in?”

They looked at each other and grinned.  Corey had been excited from the moment he felt the wards a mile back.  Once he shared it with Mason, using increasingly amazed adjectives to describe how it felt, Mason was just as hyped.  Even Nolan seemed interested, and he’d been subdued since he called his dad at the gas station in Wheeler Ridge. The young man had got yelled at over the phone for ten minutes straight for running off in the middle of the night on an adventure with his friends.  He was pretty sure he was grounded for the rest of his life. “Well, I’ve been here before,” Liam said. “But yeah, whenever you’re ready.”

“Cool.”  Sarah took out her phone and dialed a number.  When it picked up on the other end, Sarah simply said, “Open Sesame,” and laughed.

“ _You’re so ridiculous, I can’t even._ ”  There was a buzzer sound and the gate began to open, sliding to the left side.

“Shut up. I’m hilarious,” Sarah said and hung up.  She gestured to the open space. “You can just drive on through.  The gate will close for itself. We have cameras up.” Liam followed Sarah’s directions.

“Whoa.”  Corey’s grin split his face.  “Do you feel that?” he said looking around through his window.

Liam looked in his rear view to see his friend staring wondrously, kind of like how Theo had.  “Is it stronger? Theo felt it get stronger hours before we even got close.”

Corey nodded.  “Makes sense. He’s been a Chimera far longer than me.  It felt pretty much steady until we crossed the gate.”

“You came for Theo?” Sarah asked, listening to their conversation.

Liam looked at her.  “We just want to ask him some questions.  We think he may be able to help us figure out what we’re facing at home.”

She nodded in thought.  “Yeah, he’s good at helping people figure shit out.”

Nolan edged forward.  “Really? _Theo_?”

She laughed.  “Well, that’s why you’re here, right?”  Nolan was silent at that. No argument there.  “You can pull up to the side there. If you end up staying longer, we can move you into the garage behind.”

“Do you know where Theo is?” Mason asked.  “This place is huge, it might take awhile to find him.”

Sarah pondered for a moment, her eyes lingering on the entrance hall for a few seconds in thought. “He was on a Saturday morning grocery run, earlier.  So, if they came back already, then he may be round back stacking.” She looked out the window to see a couple children racing across to the side of the house.  An ‘aha’ expression took form on her face. “Or you could ask Ella.” She stuck her head out the window. “Ella!” she called to get the girl’s attention.

“Who's Ella?” Mason asked Liam.

Liam shrugged as he watched a brown-haired girl spin around and smile at Sarah.  “I wasn’t here that long to meet everybody last time.” He watched as the young girl came running up with a little boy next to her.

“You seen Theo?” Sarah said, getting out of the car.

Ella’s inquisitive expression turned into a smile.  “Yeah,” she said her body angling to where the driveway curved around the side of the building. “But he said not to bother him when he’s lifting heavy stuff, so we had to leave him alone.”

Sarah gestured for the boys to get out of the car and then gave Ella her a conspiratorial grin.  “Want an excuse to bother him anyway?”

The two children shared an amused look and responded in kind.  “Always.”

***

“ _That’s Theo?_ ” Mason said with an incredulous whisper and comically over-exaggerated expression as Ella pointed down the corridor.  There was a group of three men, Theo included with two wolves, who were unloading crates of food items and kitchenware from the back of a truck.  The truck was parked at a garage door to the left and all the items were being carried into a storage room across to the right. Liam’s eyes tracked on Theo silently as he went from left to right.  The small group were talking among themselves as they worked unaware.

“ _Damn, Son_ ,” came Corey’s lyrical addition to the conversation.  He looked at Liam, impressed. “Now I get why you won’t stop thinking about him.”  He and Mason’s hands shared a low-five slide into a fist bump. Nolan giggled in the background. Liam shut his eyes in mortification and shook his head. God, they both deserved each other. 

“I haven’t been thinking about him,” Liam said through gritted teeth.

Mason snorted.  “Yeah, not even gonna touch that comment.”

Liam turned on his friend, eyes narrowed in annoyance. “Why are you my friend?” he snapped.

“Because eating sand isn’t healthy” Mason said without missing a beat.

Liam paused, comeback paused and mouth open - his mind was instantly thrown back to a sand pit and a young, dark-skinned boy offering him a piece of chicken and telling him in a slow, careful voice that eating sand wasn’t a good dietary choice for a prolonged life.  He closed his mouth and valiantly fought down the twitch at the corner of his lips. Mason watched him smug and knowing. “I hate and love that you can do that to me,” he said, his mild anger vanishing in the wake of Mason’s intentionally triggered memory.

“I'll only use my powers for good. Promise.”  Liam scoffed at Mason’s reply.

“...because you still want him, right?” they heard and finally looked at the little girl who’d led them there.

“What?” Liam said startled at Ella’s words. He ignored Mason’s quiet laughing.

“ _Adam, what are you doing here?_ " they heard and looked up.  He hadn’t even noticed the little boy leave them alone to get Theo’s attention.  Theo wasn’t in the corridor, but in the storage room out of sight. “ _Where’s Ella_?”

“ _Around the corner talking to boys,_ ” Adam said guilelessly.

“ _What?!_ ”  Theo was suddenly storming around the corner, with Adam on his hip, only to pause at the sight of Ella talking to Liam, Nolan, Mason and Corey.  The other wolves followed shortly, like a shadow, and paused when Theo did, wary.

“You know these people?” one of them asked, checking with him.

Theo nodded and put Adam down, taking his hand instead.  “Yeah - keep going, I’ll be back in a minute,” he called to the two and continued along with Adam. They walked the length of the corridor. “Liam? Hey guys,” he greeted the group. They chorused their own mishmash of greetings.

“Hi,” Liam said finally finding his voice.

The introduction seemed to have more of an effect on Ella. “Wait, Liam?” Ella’s eyes went wide as she turned from Theo to Liam.  Adam too. “ _Liam_ , Liam?!” she continued, voice getting higher in frequency.  She broke into a sweet, but excited smile. “Oh my god. I’m so happy to meet you.  I didn’t know it was you, I swear-”

“Ella,” Theo interrupted.

“Er…” Liam intoned, not quite sure what to do with the attention.

“But!” Ella tried.

“Thank you for bringing them, Ella.”  Theo was stressing his words, filling them with a meaning Liam couldn’t figure out.  “You can _go_ now. You have class soon.”  He gestured with his head back down the corridor.

Ella slumped.  “Damnit.”

“Language,” he admonished, but softly because he knew she got that shit from him.  He pointed. “Go. You too, Adam.”

Adam looked affronted, his hands held up in a childish, ‘what the hell?’ gesture.  “What did I do?”

“You followed her here.”

Adams arms fell to his sides with a huff of air.  “I follow her everywhere.” Theo shrugged in a ‘what can you do?’ way, and Adam rolled his eyes.  “Unbelievable.”

Ella sighed.  “Fine.” She grabbed Adam’s hand.  “Come on, Adam.”

“Well, they’re quite a pair,” Mason said, eyes following them around the corner.

Theo was shaking his head.  “Pair of pains. What’s happened now?”  When the four of them turned back to him, he cocked an eyebrow.  “Something wicked brewing in Beacon Hills, right? Must be if you’re here to see me.”

Corey shook his head.  “We just wanted to ask you a couple questions.”

Theo looked to the truck and back.  “Will it take long? I’m supposed to be helping here.”  He gestured with his thumb to the other two still loading crates.

Mason was the first one to fight through his surprise of Theo sticking around to help when he had an excuse to leave first.  “No, man. It’s fine, we can wait.”

Theo nodded in agreement.  “Okay, cool.” He gestured down the corridor.  “You can make your way back to the main house. I’ll come find you when I’m done.  That alright? May take a while though.” He looked at all of them in turn, ending on Liam, who’d yet to say anything at all.

“That’s great.  We’ll see you up there,” Liam managed.

Theo nodded and backed up a bit before turning and walking back toward the storage unit.  Liam was still staring when Mason grabbed his arm to pull him back.

***

“Hey guys.  You find him?”  

The group turned around to see Derek walking towards them with something steaming in a cup that smelled distinctly like coffee.  Strong coffee. Liam was staring.

Corey smiled.  “He’s helping with deliveries, said he’d check in with us after.”

Derek nodded.  “Oh, yeah. Grocery run.  So, you’re gonna wander around a bit?”

Liam tore his eyes away from the cup.  “Is that alright?” He’d stuck to the main house and the courtyard when he’d been allowed to wander around last time.  He was just showing the group the view from the courtyard when Derek found them.

Derek smirked, like he knew exactly what Liam was staring at.  “Sure. You may want to start with the Mess Hall.”

Mason frowned curiously.  “Is breakfast still happening? It’s nearly ten.”

“Oh yeah, it’s until ten-thirty, then prep for lunch takes priority.  But I think you’ll be more interested in the coffee, right, Liam?”

Liam’s gaze snapped up from it’s fixation on the cup.  “Okay, yeah. Where did you get that and why is my mouth watering?” he said giving up on the pretence.  Coffee had never affected him like this before.

Derek actually laughed.  “Come on.” He led them through the courtyard to the right and down toward where the scent was stronger.

“What is happening?” Nolan asked as he walked with them along the path towards a... “Is that a diner?”

Mason took it in too.  It was odd seeing it at the edge of the woods.  “I think Liam is entranced by more than Theo, right now,” Mason whispered as they went through the door.

“Oh my god, will you shut up?” Liam hissed.  

Derek went straight through the Mess to the kitchen.  “Wait here.”

The group stood awkwardly to the side and gave a small wave to Sarah as she noticed them from a booth across the room.  Liam angled his head through the wide, waist high, paneless window space that allowed him to see into the kitchen and rested a hand on the counter next to the door keeping them out.  He watched Derek pouring steamed milk into a cup before walking over with it.

Derek put the cup on the counter.  “You take sugar or anything?” He put a small glass jar with a metal clasp on the counter with a spoon.

Liam nodded, fixing it the way he liked it and took a sip.  He looked up at Derek’s knowing smile as he gripped the counter, his eyes flashing beta gold.

“That good?” Mason said taking in Liam’s reaction.

Liam took a breath, then took an extra moment.  “I don- what... what is this?” Liam asked lost for words.

Derek put the jar of sugar away, chucking the spoon expertly to the sink.  It landed with a quiet plop in the water. “Theo’s been infusing his own coffee, he showed us how.  Apparently he was a barista for a while.”

The boys nodded.  “At the _Beanery_ , yeah I know,” Liam commented.

“Yeah.  Well, he knows how to work a machine and he also knows how to mix enough wolfsbane in it that it’s effective, but not poisonous.”  He shrugged and looked back at the machine thoughtfully as Lesley made another cup. “I may have to invest in a bigger machine. The Weres here were drinking coffee because they liked the taste.  Now that it actually has an effect, the traffic for it has increased.”

Liam chuckled.  “I don’t blame them.”  He took another sip.

“It’s good right?”

“It’s - yeah, it really is.”

“So, you hungry?”  Derek noticed Nolan’s face light up.  “Take that as a yes.”

Nolan looked embarrassed.  “We left pretty late, haven’t eaten since that fast food place around four this morning.”

“Fast food?” they all heard from behind the door.  Derek was suddenly elbowed out of the way to make room for the woman who owned the southern accent.  “Did you just say you’ve been eating that crap for breakfast?” Before any of them had a chance to talk she shook her head.  “Never mind, now that I concentrate I can smell it on you. Smells of desperation and sadness. Sit over there.” She pointed to the nearest table.  “You sit there and think about what you’ve done. I’ll fix up some plates.” She shook her head again as she walked away. “Fast food for breakfast. I tell you,” she muttered.

Derek beat a hasty retreat out of the kitchen and picked up his mug on the way.  “You’ll have to excuse Lesley. Her and her husband Clyde made it their life’s work to enrich people with their food.”  He sat with them at a table. “About nine months ago, hunter’s burned down their diner in Cottonwood. They'd kept that diner running for thirteen years.  Moved there from Texas when their packs refused to acknowledge their union,” he added quietly. “Their families didn’t like each other at all. I visited once with my dad when I was younger, back when we used to come here for vacations.  They reached out to him here when ‘ _Lesley’s_ ’ burned down. Found me instead.” Derek looked over to the kitchen, watching Lesley and Clyde busying themselves in their domain. “I couldn’t turn them away.” He looked around. “This place looks just like it, if a bit bigger.  They didn't want to name it ' _Lesley's_ ' like before, so they called it ' _The Mess_ ' instead." 

“That’s terrible,” Nolan said.  His eyes widened. “I mean - not the- just... that hunters did... that.”  Corey patted Nolan’s arm.

“You can stop now.  It's okay,” Corey said with sympathy.  “That was painful for all of us.”

Mason laughed quietly at Corey’s commiserating tone before turning to Derek.  “Hey. Have you ever heard of Wyverns living in the Preserve?” he asked. Derek’s family had lived in Beacon Hills a lot longer than any of them.

Derek looked thoughtful.  “There were all kinds of creatures living in the Preserve when I was younger.  Some longer than our family have ever lived there.” He shrugged. “My mother took care of any treaties or living agreements. Why?” he asked.

“We think we have one.”

Derek nodded.  “That why you came?”  He looked at Liam, an eyebrow cocked.  “You wanted to ask Theo?”

Liam’s mouth opened to say yes, but knew it would be heard as a lie.  Mason spoke over him.  “We know that the Dread Doctors went through a lot of supernatural creatures. We figured if anyone knows anything outside of what books tell us, it will be Theo.”

Derek eyed Mason before his weighted gaze fell back on Liam, who’d elected to stay quiet.  His eyes began to narrow as he surveyed the group. “Uh huh.” He put his hands on the table and stood.  “Alright. I’ll leave you to your food.” He picked up his cup, the clay painted charm clinking where it hung over the side.  “You’re free to explore what you need. Just don’t go wandering into the woods without an escort and stay away from the greenhouses.  There are strict access-only protocols there because we’re growing our own wolfsbane.” As soon as he stepped away from the table, four plates were set down by Lesley and one of the kitchen staff.  Derek held back a smile as Lesley continued to mutter under her breath and caught Liam’s eyes. “I’ll let Theo know what you're doing.”

***

“Man, this place is amazing,” Mason said stepping into the library a few hours later.  They’d wandered around for a little while after their breakfast-lunch, leaving just as the actual lunch rush came in so others could have their table.  Since Theo hadn’t come down yet, they figured they might meet him on the way up, stopping at all the interesting things until they found the library. Corey followed Mason in and instantly went to the nearest bookshelf.  “Look at this. Where did Derek get all this? And why haven’t we had access to it?”

“Who are you?”  They heard and turned.  It was the little boy Theo had exiled before, Adam.  He was at one of the large tables, colouring something on a sheet of paper.

Mason pointed to himself.  “I’m Mason, this is Nolan, Corey and that's Liam.”

Adam smiled.  “I know who he is.”

Liam frowned, confused.  “How?”

Adam continued smiling at him.  “You brought Theo here.  Thank you.”

“Er…” Liam trailed off not knowing what to say, “You’re welcome?”

Adam leaned on a propped up hand, talking to Mason again. “Why would you have access to our library?”

Mason looked around, thought of all the knowledge it held.  “Because it’s useful.”

Adam continued to stare at him, as if he were a couple cents short of a dollar.  “I know that. I use it a lot. But why should you use it? I live here. You don’t.”

Mason laughed a little.  “We know Derek, okay kid?  It’ll be alright.”

Both of Adam’s eyebrows went up.  “You know Derek, so you should have access to everything he owns?” He cocked his head to the side, curious now.  “You’re not his human.” He’d met Stiles with Ella before. He’d been in classes most of the time when Stiles was in the hospital ward months ago. When he wasn’t in the hospital ward, he was resting in Derek’s room.  After he’d healed, the children barely saw either of them before they took off for Beacon Hills. When they came back, Stiles was wandering all over the place, with people always talking to him. Stiles was cool, and most likely the reason for his daily word calendar, Adam was sure.  Derek was an awesome big brother type, but he sucked at getting gifts.

“What?”

Before he could continue, a voice cut him off from the door.  “Hey, squirt,” Theo said strolling in. “Stop badgering people.  It hinders your ability to make friends,” he said smiling at an inside joke.

Adam shook his head and began arranging his pencils in colour order.  He didn’t want them as friends anyway. Except maybe Liam. He got a free pass because of Theo.  “I don’t like them. They’re overly-privileged.”

Theo narrowed his eyes in thought.  “That was Wednesday, right? What’s today?”

Adam switched a blue and a green around.  “Sanctimonious,” he pronounced carefully, but proudly near the end.  It had taken him a couple of tries to get the stresses right earlier.  

Theo refrained from smiling, but looked over at the four young men on the other side of the table.  “And what does that mean?”

Adam looked up in recollection, his thumb nail scratching at the red paint coating the pencil in his hand.  “It’s an adjective to describe someone who believes they are superior to others.”

“Not quite, squirt.” Adam looked at him.  “They think they’re morally superior.”

Adam looked down at the table before questioning, “What’s that?”

Theo looked at the faces around him.  “I’ll tell you later. We’re still going out right? When your sister gets back from class?” he said expertly changing the subject.

Adam looked ecstatic at the news.  “Yeah! I still need to get presents for people.  Lauren wants a yoga mat.”

Theo shook his head.  “Don’t bother. It’s too cold out so Derek said to use the meeting hall. He’s ordered a whole bunch of mats online.”  He sighed. “We’ll have to move the table every morning, but it’s only until the weather gets a little warmer.” He gestured to the door with a nod.  “Give us a minute, yeah? Ella’s class should be over in a little while. Go make sure your room is clean. You know the rules.”

Adam was grabbing all his pencils in a fist, using the rubber band that had been on the side to secure them all together when Theo said that last bit.  “It is clean!” he said completely affronted at the accusation.

Theo watched him knowingly.  “Then why are you drawing in here?”  Adam looked like he didn’t have an answer to that.  Theo laughed. “Go on. I promise, once you guys are clear to go, we’ll go.”  Adam raced out with a smile, grabbing his drawing and pencils on the way. Theo shook his head in exasperation before leaning on the table.  “Alright, what’s so important that you couldn’t pick up a phone?”

“You do yoga?” Liam asked like he couldn’t help himself.

Mason shut his eyes in sympathetic mortification for his friend.  “We think we have a Wyvern,” he said instead.

Theo looked nonplussed.  He ignored Liam’s question.  It was embarrassing enough as it was without Liam prying.  “So?”

“So?” Corey said.

Theo shrugged with his arms crossed over his chest.  “Yeah, so? That’s like saying you think you have dogs in your yard.  Or maybe there’s a kitten on your roof. Wyverns just... are. Unless you’ve pissed them off somehow.”  He slumped at their suddenly guilty looking faces, his hands gripping the back of a chair. “Of course you’ve pissed them off somehow.  What did you do?” he asked instead.

“Why would we have to do something?” Nolan asked.

Theo grabbed a seat and leaned on the table.  “Because Wyverns, even though they are related somewhat to dragons, are patient.  Like, new-age Hannibal Lecter, Mikkelsen-level patient. They are strong, and rarely beaten,” he listed.  “So, any enemy they have is usually looked at like a fly to be swatted. They live for a really long time and they like cold weather, so it’s likely they have an underground den, to wait out the heat.  One that they’ve lived in for a century, or more, or they fly somewhere up North until Winter.” He sat back thinking on what he could remember. “The adults are also really venomous, so a bite or scratch from them is usually enough to kill you.  Unless they’re hungry - which isn’t often. More likely they’ll deign to move long enough to touch you and then leave you to wander about and die for shits and giggles.” He paused. “They’re dicks, basically. Strong dicks, who’d rather sit and watch you die slowly of poisoning, than actively instigate a fight. So, yeah, what did you do?” he reiterated.

Corey was staring like he’d realised something.  “You’re talking in plural.” He tapped Mason’s arm.  “He’s talking plural,” he repeated.

Theo squinted his eyes like he was judging Corey’s mental capacity.  “Because they roll in packs,” he said like this was something everyone knew.

The group looked like this was news to them.  The books they read by Deaton didn’t say anything like that.  “We only have the one.”

Theo shook his head. “That’s impossible.”

Liam shook his head in kind.  “I injured it. Every time it’s come back, it has the same injury.  It’s only the one.”

Theo looked him up and down, as if he was seeing him for the first time.  He even smiled a little.  “You injured it? That’s impressive.  You okay?”

Mason rolled his eyes.  “We’re fine too, by the way.  Thanks for asking.”

Liam shrugged.  “I’m not dead, so I guess I’m fine. It scratched me over a week ago. Might have been a baby though, if it’s the adults that are poisonous.”

Theo nodded like he was appropriately convinced, ignoring Mason’s sarcasm.  “When did you last see it?”

“It kept turning up every couple days, and then every other week.  Then a week ago, it disappeared.”

Theo sighed.  “Well, if it’s alone, then it’s likely that its pack was killed.  If it’s coming after you, maybe it thinks you killed them? That, or it could be coming to you for help as you’re the official pack that’s in charge of the town.”

Nolan frowned and shook his head.  “What does that mean?”

Theo stared.  “Beacon Hills, the county.  The Hales are gone. Scott was bitten by a Hale and Derek left.  It's the McCall pack’s territory now,” he said as if it were obvious, which it was.  “People, Weres especially, are going to be coming to you to ask permission to pass through or reside there.  How can you not know that?” he added when it was equally obvious they had no clue.

“But no one’s come.  I thought the Hales-”

“They likely settled while the Hales were prominent there.  But the Hales haven’t been there for years now. Only one member of your pack is a Hale, and at this point, Derek is more pack-adjacent, based on how often he ventures back there. And Malia actively rejects the Hale name every time she rejects Peter, so…where is Scott?”

“Scott isn’t there. He’s in Sacramento at college.”

 _Still rescuing animals out of Munroe shaped trees._  “Okay, fine.  But his second is.”  When Liam still looked confused, Theo gave them all incredulous looks.  “You, Liam. You’re his second, as his only actual bitten beta.”

Liam sat down.  “I thought Stiles was... so it came to me for help, and I injured it?”  He looked completely defeated.

The expression on his face reminded Theo of Adam when he realised that lobsters were cooked fully alive and conscious.  He rubbed his forehead in frustration. “Okay, Liam? What exactly do you want from me? If the Wyvern is gone, there isn’t anything I can do, and from the sound of it, you wanted it gone in the first place.”

Nolan spoke up.  “We wanted to make sure it was gone, but didn’t know how.”

Theo shrugged.  “So go to its den.”

“Where is the den?” Mason asked.

Theo rolled his eyes.  “I don’t live in Beacon Hills anymore, Mason, how am I supposed to know where the den is?  Look, they like scorched earth, so go somewhere that burned down a century or so ago, I don’t know.  It might not even have a den at all.”

Liam bit his lip in thought.  “Is there a way to track it?”

Theo looked unimpressed at them all, his arms crossed. “There’s a way to track anything.”

Liam shook his head.  “It doesn’t smell of anything.”

Theo gave him a disappointed look.  “Scent isn’t the only way to track something.”  He was silent for a moment. “Did you ever chase it somewhere and lose it?” he asked sounding like he was working toward a suggestion.

Liam nodded.  “Yeah. Into the Preserve.”

Theo stood up.  “There you go.”

Nolan glanced between them.  “No, not there you go. The Preserve is huge, we haven’t been able to find it.”

Theo rolled his eyes.  “Okay. Listen to me very carefully.”  He pushed in the chair he’d been sitting on and turned his head to look at Corey.  “Corey, go invisible.”

Corey looked to Mason and Liam, unsure about being singled out.  “Go ahead, it’s okay.” Once Corey disappeared, Theo looked at the table and picked up the book Adam had been using as a reference to draw from, seeing a drawing left behind in the pages - good Lord, was that a carrot with a red afro?

“Ella,” he called distracted, closing the book and shaking his head at Adam’s antics.  “I know you’re out there.” He looked out at the doorway. “Come on in.” He smiled as she peeked around the door frame and looked at the group across the table.  “Come show these boys what you’ve learned in my class.” He held the book in his hands. “Don’t forget to move around, Corey,” he added as an aside.

“You teach here too?” Mason asked.

Ella smiled at them.  “He teaches yoga and tracking.  He’s really good at it.”

“How good?” Liam asked sounding interested.

Theo smirked.  “Ella, here.” He handed her the book.  She looked up at him and took it, still smiling.  She shut her eyes, opening them to show their yellow beta colour.  Theo turned back to Liam, Nolan and Mason. “Ella is now eleven. She’s been in my class for three weeks-” And she’d been thrilled the first time she was allowed in, now being eleven and so grown up, “-and is already my favourite student.  Mainly because she knows how to listen.” He gestured to the room. “Corey is a Chimera, like me. He has the ability to completely disappear in all the ways that it matters to a Were. You can’t see him, he has no scent, and he makes no sound.”  He looked straight at Liam. “But he still _exists_.  Ella?” He looked down to see her looking at him, waiting for direction.  “Throw the book at Corey.”

She threw the book to her right, over the table, toward the second row of bookcases.  It sailed and thumped on thin air. Corey appeared, stunned when he became visible again, trying to catch the book before it fell to the floor.

Mason looked gobsmacked.  “How did she -" He turned to Ella. "How did you do that?”

She smiled and shrugged.  “He’s hot.  When you let your wolf out, see through your beta eyes, you can sense changes like heat in the air as well as vibrations from objects that move around you.  Also, his feet made imprints in the carpet when he moved to that side of the room.” She looked up at Theo again and he winked at her.

“Go make sure your brother actually tried to clean your room, please.  Get your coat on and meet me at the front door.” She grinned and raced away.  Once she was gone, he turned back to the group. “Go to where you lost it,” he began, giving them directions now.  “Look for a presence, any presence if not for typical signs.” He focused on Liam. “Use your beta eyes. It would have to pass trees, bushes, walk on the ground or grip onto bark.  It has a barbed tail to help keep its balance when it’s not flying and it won’t fly if it’s injured like you say, because that uses up a lot of energy it can’t waste to heal.  Look for broken twigs, footprints, scratches in the trees, broken up or twisted leaves,” he listed. “ _Everything_ leaves a trail,” he concluded, as he did in his class.

Mason was nodding and looking eager to start.  “That - wow, man, I never thought of that.”

Theo shrugged.  “Guess that’s why you drove all this way.”  He led them out of the library. “Why didn’t you just call?  I could have told you this on the phone.”

Nolan scoffed.  “There is no phone here.  We have to call Stiles just to get on to Derek.”

Theo cocked an eyebrow.  “I still have my cell phone, guys.”

All of them stopped.  Mason and Liam shared a look.  “We missed you, that a crime?” Mason recovered quickly.

Theo shook his head.  He heard the blip in Mason’s heartbeat when he spoke, but let it go.  He wasn’t the human’s favourite person. He knew that already. No point in dwelling on it.  They rounded the corner and Theo chuckled when he saw Ella and Adam standing by the front door in outdoor wear and holding the coat that they'd apparently helped Peter to buy him for his birthday in their hands. Adam was alternating between making sure the coat didn’t touch the ground and making sure he didn’t drop Theo’s keys. It was adorable.

“We’re losing daylight, Raeken!” they called together.

The few members of the compound that were passing by were smiling at the two as they passed.  Theo shook his head. “You went in my room.”

Instantly, they looked guilty.  “We thought it would save time?” Adam tried.

Theo cast his eyes heavenward.  “The two of you. Honestly. Go on.”  He took his coat and keys from them. When they stepped outside, he noticed his truck was waiting for him.  “Who-”

“That would be me.”  He turned to see Derek make his way outside.  “You need to get them out of here. Their excitement is driving me crazy.  Also, we need bulbs.” He handed Theo the plain black credit card he always used for purchases.

“Bulbs?” Theo said like the notion was ridiculous.  

“Mm,” Derek hummed in agreement.  “About twenty-five. Or more.  Spell went wrong, Lowell and Deborah may have blown a few.”  They’d blown out the bulbs in a whole series of rooms, actually, and still wouldn’t tell him what they’d been trying to do.  He was going to talk with them later about it. “And tape. We’ve run out.”

“Right.”  Theo took the card and shrugged.  “Yeah, whatever. I’m not even asking.”  He unlocked the doors with the remote and opened his door to put the key in.

Derek crossed his arms over his chest.  “It’s nearly Christmas.”

“So people are eating tape?” Theo asked as the engine turned over.

“They’re wrapping presents,” Derek said obviously.

Theo tugged on his pea coat.  “Why? We can work out what’s inside easily.”

Derek rolled his eyes at the inquisition.  “Look, _Grinch_ , just buy the damn tape and take the kids to the mall.”  Theo laughed and got in the truck himself.

“There’s a mall around here?” Mason asked.

Theo shook his head.  “It’s a city over. Pretty big, too.”

The back window rolled down.  “Theo’s taking us to finish our Christmas shopping.”

Theo laughed and put on his seatbelt, playing like he wasn’t so sure that was the truth.  “No,” he said slowly with humour. “Theo’s taking you to finish Theo’s Christmas shopping,” he quipped.  “And apparently to buy a hardware store worth of bulbs and fetish tape.”

“What’s fetish tape?” Adam asked.

“Oh my - will you just go?” Derek said and pointed down the long driveway.  

“You want to come?” Adam said suddenly, looking out at Liam from his car seat.

Theo looked in his rear view mirror and then followed Adam’s gaze out to Liam, who was switching his gaze from the children in the backseat to Mason, Nolan and Corey.

Mason shrugged.  “We don’t mind. We can still make Beacon Hills later.  Besides, I want to be let loose in that library so damn bad.”

“Sanctimonious human,” Adam said quietly.

Theo felt the amusement erupt into a small smile.  “Still not totally correct, squirt.” He shook his head. “But nice try.”

Corey smiled sweetly.  “Go ahead, Liam, we can wait for you.”  Nolan nodded along next to him.

Theo watched as the small group had a meaningful eyebrow-filled conversation until Liam seemed to steel himself with a deep breath before rounding the truck.

“Well, that’s dramatic,” Ella said, her eyes following him, too, from the backseat.

“Tell me about it,” Theo murmured.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the late update. In my continued writing of the second half of this series, I discovered a plot hole in the first one. So, I had to spend some time resolving it. Thanks for your patience.

Five hours later, with one uneventful drive and their obligatory hardware store stop completed, Theo actually found himself having fun in a mall with two children and Liam Dunbar.  He pulled out his phone and opened the camera app to film Adam finally overcoming his fear of talking to the bearded man on the big red chair. The boy had found out it was Santa at the end of the line and just had to go talk to him, only to tense up when he realised he actually had to engage in a conversation.  

The two children were doing well, having not been in a crowd so large outside the community in years.  Even Theo was finding it a little strange not being able to immediately recognise the people around him.  He handed Liam his messenger bag so he could crouch down and the younger man took it. Liam eyed the bag strangely, since after he asked what was in it, Theo’s only response was a mysterious sounding ‘supplies.’  Theo chuckled as he held up his phone, watching Ella walk Adam to Santa’s throne. Adam refused to get up and the man was accommodating, simply leaning forward so Adam could tell him what he wanted for Christmas in his ear.

Theo’s smile gradually dropped when he heard Adam ask for a new family for him and Ella and shared Ella’s near heartbroken look when Santa sat back like he didn’t know what to say.

“Shit,” Theo muttered and started to walk forward, recording forgotten.  He slowed and paused, though, when he heard Santa speak in a soft, rumbling voice.

“My boy, I truly believe that such a heartfelt wish from someone as young and innocent as you should be granted.  This your sister?” Adam nodded. “My dear,” the man said, turning to Ella, “your brother is a remarkable young man.  I’ve heard many wishes today, but none that I would like to grant more.” Adam broke into a radiant grin. Theo continued walking then and smiled gratefully at the man for giving Adam some hope that he’d find a family to settle into one day.  He nodded at the man once and received a sad smile in return.

“Well squirt, look at you making grown men cry.  I’m so proud.” He ruffled Adam’s hair and soaked in the unconditional happiness Adam had pouring out of him.  

Adam took Theo’s hand and began pulling him in the direction of the toy store.  “Proud enough to buy my present now?”

Theo laughed. He knew it couldn’t last. “Oh, boy.”

The inside of the store was complete chaos.  Theo heard screaming from all over. And the brightness of the lights coupled with the many colours on every surface made his eyes hurt.  

He actually felt some trepidation standing outside of it.  “Shit, it’s like a horror movie.” He looked down. “Adam, you actually want something from in here?” Adam, too, looked concerned at the amount of noise and jarring images.  “Tell you what.” He continued when Adam looked up at him. “I bet there’s a department store in this mall. You think there’s a kitchen section that has a potato masher with your name on it?”  At Liam’s curious look, Theo explained. “He wants to be a chef.” Liam nodded in understanding, looking impressed at the life goal.

Adam’s eyes went bright.  He looked back into the toy store.  “Can we just look around first?” he asked.  “I’ve never been in a toy store before.”

Theo sighed.  “Alright. Once more unto the breach.”  They entered, wincing at the noise. Theo let go of Adam’s hand once they were inside, using his focus on Adam to block out the rest of the sounds from other children.

“You know Shakespeare?” Liam asked.

Theo turned to Liam, surprised at the question, and that Liam understood the reference.  “Do you?”

Liam shrugged looking around to occupy himself.  “My dad does. He quotes it all the time around the house.  Likes to surprise my mom with quotes from sonnets. Surprised you do, though.”

Theo rolled his eyes as they walked down a random aisle.  “Why do people just assume I have no culture?” he said to himself following Adam sedately around the corner.  He let Ella go up ahead to keep track of him, stopping at a shelf of wolf-themed toys. He grabbed her hand to point them out to her.

“Because you like to kill things before you know what they are?  Let alone appreciate them?” Liam suggested casually, strolling by his side.

Theo considered that for a second.  “Killing is easier,” he decided. He smiled when Liam chuckled and picked up an action figure wolf growling with it at Ella.

“Adam would like like that,” she giggled.

Speaking of the boy, Adam came stomping up.  “I don’t like children.”

The rest of them paused at the odd declaration.  “What?” Ella asked.

Adam crossed his arms.  “I don’t like children and I want to leave.”

Theo frowned and looked around to the aisle Adam had come from.  They were at the end of an aisle, looking at the shelves stationed there, and in the centre of the next aisle they saw a small boy gearing up for a good old-fashioned bawling.  He was covered in paint and an empty bucket was rolling back and forth on the floor. Theo’s eyes widened in tandem with Liam’s and they beat a hasty retreat.

The escape out of the store was uneventful and the group drifted around the ground floor for a while, passing a bunch of performers who were drawing a crowd.  They passed through the din and made their way to an escalator, spending only a few minutes getting Adam and Ella unto it to ride to the top. Both of them were wary at first, but joyful once the ride was halfway up.  Theo looked up at the line of storefronts, spotted a Sears along one of the balconies and walked in that direction, leading the group through the crowd into the store. He then used the floor listing at the store’s escalator to see where the kitchen wares were.  In the section, he turned when Ella showed him a selection of colourful cups that had people’s names on them and they searched for Adam’s name, finding it easily as they were laid out in mostly alphabetical order.

“What do you think Adam?”  When he got no answer, Theo and Liam turned to find out what had captured the young boy’s attention this time.  “Adam?” His head rose to the store trying to get his vision to encapsulate the whole floor, looking for the telltale bright red pea-coat.  He had it on good authority that his blue coat was purchased to match Adam’s red because someone once told the child that he looked very handsome in it.

Ella’s smiling face quickly turned to a frown when she too noticed Adam wasn’t behind her as usual.  “Adam?!” She looked around. “Adam!” Her voice rose.

The three of them rushed out of the store, retracing their steps, looking left and right as they called the boy’s name.  Theo hoped Adam could hear them with his extra sensory hearing but swore when he couldn’t hear any reply. He quickly turned to Ella who was rapidly degenerating into a panic attack.  “Okay, Ella. I need you to help me.”

Ella’s head was moving back and forth, not focusing on any one thing.  “Where is he, where is-” she hiccuped and swallowed around the shallow breaths she was taking.

“Shit.”  Theo looked around and spotted a bench.  He picked Ella up and took her to it. Sitting her down on the edge, he turned her so that she was facing him and away from the others who sat there.  “Ella, listen to me. I need you to help me find him.”

“How? I can’t hear him.  He’s not calling me. I can’t hear him.  Where is he?!”

“Ella!” he said sharply and shut his eyes.  Getting frustrated wouldn’t help right now. He took a deep breath and forced it out slowly.  “Ella. I really need your help. Adam’s alone and probably looking for us, okay? We need to help him, but I can’t do that if you’re not calm.”  He held her shoulders. “I need you to listen for him. Your hearing is miles better than mine.”

“He’s not calling!” she said loudly as if he wasn’t understanding her.

Theo shook his head.  “No, no, no - he doesn’t need to.”  He stroked her upper arms. “He doesn’t need to,” he said trying to calm her down and convince her.  “Close your eyes, okay? Trust me.” He noted that she was breathing a little better once she had something to focus on.  Ella nodded quickly, closing her eyes. “Okay, your heartbeat, can you hear it?” She nodded. “Good, focus on it. Take in a deep breath.”  He waited for her to follow his instructions. “Let it out, now. Your brother. He has the same heart, you share the same blood. Listen for his beats.”

She frowned like he was asking the impossible.  “I can’t, I-”

Theo placed his hands either side of her head, thumbs at her temples and his fingers combing into her hair gently.  He rested his forehead against hers. “He’s your baby brother, Ella. You’ve been listening to his heartbeat since the day he was born.  You know it better than I ever could. Go back to our field. Where we do yoga?”

“...okay?”

He almost smiled at her confusion.  “You listen to his heartbeat there all the time.  Always correcting him.”

“He doesn’t breathe properly,” she felt compelled to say tearily.

Theo smiled and huffed a laugh.  “Yeah, I know.” He’d heard her lecture him about it dozens of times.  “Do you remember it?” When she nodded, he continued. “Okay, listen for it here.  He won’t be breathing properly here either. Focus. Breathe in and hold.” She took in a shaky breath, eyes still closed and waited.  “And release slowly.” He looked up at Liam who was watching the two of them closely. Theo shook his head releasing another sigh and took a quick scan to see if he could see Adam’s coat in the crowd.

Ella exhaled, counting her own heartbeats in her ear.   _I can do this.  I know him. He’s mine.  He’s kin._

After a couple of deep steadying breaths, there was a beat in sync with hers, and then many beats that followed far too fast for her own heart to catch up.  Her eyes opened with a gasp. “I found him!” She jumped off the bench and took off. Theo sprinted after her, calling for Liam to follow.

He followed Ella as she ran along the second floor balcony of shops, her eyes over the railing and heading for the escalator.  A trip in her heartbeat told Theo, before he even saw her face, that she’d found Adam in the crowd and only Theo grabbing her hand stopped her from jumping over the railing to get to Adam faster.  They took the stairs instead, skidding to a stop in front of the small, shaking boy who stood with his eyes closed and his hands balled at his sides as he ignored the onlookers who were asking him if he was lost.  Theo smelled blood and saw the rim of red threatening to spill from Adam’s fists and knew that would attract the wrong sort of attention.

He spoke softly, knowing Adam would be able to hear him.  “Adam, it’s Theo. It’s me and Ella. We’re here. We lost you for a moment, but we’re here.  Can you hear me?” Adam nodded silently and Theo instantly knew why he hadn’t been calling for them.  “His beta shift is surfacing.” He looked up and around, searching for a place to go for privacy and ignored Liam talking to the people in the crowd telling them they were all together.  He saw a small alcove under the nearby escalator. There was a short wall there. He took Adam’s hands and knelt down. “Hands around me, inside my jacket, okay? No one will see your hands, I promise.”  He pulled Adam closer and let him circle his hands around his waist inside his coat. The sharp claws caught on his sweater under his arms when he picked him up, but he disregarded it. Instead, he held the boy tight and let him bury his face in the crook of his neck.

The small group walked over to the alcove and sat down on the short wall.  He set Adam down on his feet and let him stand between his legs. “Come on Ella, group hug.”  He didn’t need to speak twice as Ella’s arms encircled the two of them. While they were whispering to each other Theo looked up at Liam.  “Still glad you came?” he asked sounding exhausted.

Liam's gaze switched between the children and Theo multiple times before he gave Theo a small smile.  “Yeah,” he decided. “I am.”

Theo huffed in amusement and let his held fall back on his shoulders, letting out a small relieved sigh. “Can you take out the wipes I have in there?”  He gestured to the messenger bag over Liam’s chest.

“Wipes?” Liam asked and looked inside the messenger bag he’d forgot he had on his shoulder.  “Why?”

“We have to clean his hands.  He’s got a thing about his hands being clean." He held a wipe up as an example.  "These are the only ones that don’t really have a scent.  All the others make him sneeze.” He took the two wipes and tapped Ella’s shoulder to let go.  “Hey Adam, let’s get your hands clean, yeah? Can’t be a chef with dirty hands. You want to open your eyes for me?”  At Adam’s adamant shaking head, he sighed. “Okay. Well your heart isn’t beating so fast anymore,” he reasoned. “And your claws are gone.  I don’t think your eyes would be flashing now.”

“I think they are,” Adam argued.  “My heart was beating too fast on the escalator.  I could feel the shift and stepped to the side. I couldn’t call out, people would know.  So I went back downstairs.”

Theo shut his eyes, recognising Adam’s strategy. _Easier access to an exit on the ground floor._  He’d learned that early on, too.  He waited out the burst of frustration, of anger at the hunters who’d done this to such a young child.  “How about you look down at first and I can tell you?” A tear fell from Adam’s right eye. Theo wiped it away with his thumb.  “I know you’re scared, but we’re here. Ella is here. You always fight your fear with your family, right?” He looked up. “Heard Stilinski say that once.”  

“Stiles? Derek’s human?” Ella asked curious.

Theo grinned.  “Yeah. Derek’s human,” he answered with humour in his tone.  He found out a few weeks ago that the compound nicknamed Stiles with that title after he left for Virginia, because any mention of his name kept getting a sad chemo-reaction out of Derek and tended to focus his attention, not so positively, on the speaker.  Theo found it hilarious, holding in laughter even now as he rubbed Adam’s back through his coat and sweater. “Come on, Adam. Even Liam wants to help you out. He’s here too, waiting for those chocolate browns of yours.”

There was a pause.  “You think my eyes look like chocolate?” he heard murmured into his sweater and he laughed.  Always food with this kid.

“Mmhmm,” he hummed. “Someone’s gonna love looking into them one day,” he said sharing an amused look with Liam.

Adam’s face scrunched up and he opened his eyes for the precise purpose of rolling them, knowing it wouldn’t have the same effect if they were closed. “That’s gross.”

Theo laughed.  “Yeah, super gross.  Here,” he handed Adam one of the wipes to clean his hands and then the other one to clean them again.  “All good?” Adam was checking under his nails, so Theo gave him a moment. When Adam nodded, Theo heaved a sigh, picking up the small boy and seating him on his hip.  “Okay. I think we’ve all earned some goddamn ice cream. Who’s in?” He didn’t wait for replies. “Don’t care.” He started walking to the food court.

***

Stiles took the full take out bag from the server at the counter, throwing her a smile and a thank you before following his SO out of the _Buffalo Wild Wings_ restaurant.  He took in the crisp November air and looked around, eyes falling towards the _Chili’s_ that Taylor and Sarah had decided on upon the announcement of their excursion for dinner.  When he heard the muttered _Shit_ , Stiles turned to Special Agent Carter and both saw and felt the change in her demeanour as she imperceptibly froze and then suddenly veered to the right.  “Walk with me.”

He frowned.  “We are-”

“Stiles.  For once, stop talking and just pretend nothing is wrong.”  She looked both ways and then started to cross, walking towards _Target_.

Stiles paused.  He then hurried to catch up to her and didn’t speak until they’d touched ground on the other side.  “ _Is_ something wrong?”  

“We’re being followed,” Carter said, perusing something in the window there, as if it had attracted her to it, before moving on.  “Take out your phone,” she said calmly, walking along the storefronts unworried - but with purpose, “and call the Field Office. Tell them Henry Burke is tailing us at Stafford Marketplace.”  As Stiles did as he was told, Carter continued walking angling toward the Dollar Tree up ahead. “Remember to smile.”

Stiles’ relayed the order from the Field Office - to keep Burke tailing them at a safe distance and avoid any casualties until they could get there - and Carter nodded.  “Figured. We just need to find a way to keep him busy.”

“Him following us seems to be working,” he commented as they edged around the people shopping for Christmas.  The Marketplace was pretty busy this evening. Christmas was only a few weeks away.

“Hmm,” Carter hummed and kept up their stroll.  “But we can’t go into any stores. We can’t risk him doing something rash in an enclosed space.”

Stiles thought for a moment.  “We can lure him around the back and incapacitate him,” he suggested.

Carter turned her head to him, an inquisitive brow quirked at his words.  “Is that a strategy you’ve utilised before?” she asked.

Stiles gave a considering look.  “Not as often as I’d like to. The people I rolled with preferred a more upfront attack.”

“Attack?”

 _Ooh, wrong word._  “Confrontation?” he tried again.

Carter had her eyes narrowed.  “Uh huh. I would like to meet these people you’ve rolled with Stiles.  They sound very interesting.”

Stiles huffed in amusement.  “You have no idea.”

“Oh, no.  I have an idea, if you're anything to go by.”  When Stiles actually chuckled, Carter smiled looking into the window of the _Five Below_ , squinting as she made out their tail in her peripheral vision.  He was a ways back, trying to look inconspicuous. She waited for him to get a little closer.

“You looking for a boogie board?” he asked stepping up next to her.  Her eyes went down to the crate just inside the doors. She shrugged.  

“Never know.  If I get it now, it would probably be cheaper than during the summer.”

“Cheaper than five dollars?” Stiles said amused and shook his head when she shrugged again.  “Ask you a question?”

“Sure.”  She started walking again when she was sure their tail was close enough in sight.

“I get that you would recognise someone wanted on sight.  I mean, you’re Agent Carter,” he said in an obvious tone. He both ignored and was proud of her small smile.  “But, how does he recognise you?”

Her facial expression closed off.  “People in law enforcement are easy to spot when you know the tells.  Even in civilian clothes, we walk a certain way, talk a certain way, hold ourselves still with an air that is different to others,” she listed.

Stiles, though he knew that to be true, also knew she was lying.  “So he’s just spotting law enforcement and following them around? That doesn’t make sense.”

“Stiles,” she began exasperated.  She stopped and turned to face him.  Since he’d slowed down, it meant she was now facing the direction of their stalker.  In doing so, she clearly saw him pull out a gun. Her eyes widened and she grabbed his arm, pulling the young man around the last pillar on the corner with her as the fire-crack of the gun went off.  “Get down!” she called and pushed him behind her. She pulled the gun from her holster in the back of her jeans and listened as the gun went off a few more times, hitting the brick of the pillars. People started screaming and running towards cover in the store and between cars in the car park across the street.

“Shit.  No, no, no, no,” Stiles chanted next to her as he bent over.  She turned to him and saw a hand on his arm, the bag from the restaurant on the ground.  His eyes were tightly shut and his head was tucked toward his chest.

“Were you hit?” she asked, still listening out for Burke.  Stiles didn’t answer, still murmuring under his breath. “Stiles!” she hissed, some worry entering her tone, now.  “Were you hit?!” Carter crouched down so she could look at his face. “Stiles?” she called again, hearing him whispering to himself.  “What?” she asked trying to make out what he was whispering. “What is - is that _Latin_?” she asked incredulously.

“Need to - get out - of the public.”  He shook his head, a little desperate.  “Can’t risk it,” Stiles added through gritted teeth, panting like he was out of breath.

Despite not understanding why he was so out of breath in the first place, nor why he was so tense, Carter peeked around the pillar and nearly got shot for her trouble, an edge of the brick chipping off just by her shoulder.  She still agreed with Stiles’ suggestion, though. They needed to take this away from such a crowded area. “Okay,” she said angling her head to the bend of the corner that led around to the back of the building. “Okay,” she said with more confidence, coming to a decision.  She once more chanced a look up the narrow corridor the pillars made outside the _Five and Below_.  The area was clear of people by now, all of them having ducked inside or run off into the car park, likely filming whatever they could with their phones.  

With the way clear, she blindly grabbed the scruff of Stiles’ coat aiming her gun out and down toward the pavement.  Keeping him behind her, she faced the pillar and backed up slowly until they cleared the corner before running across the space quickly.  “What the hell are you chanting? Just run!” she said with frustration and led him around to the back of the store, bypassing the standalone wall there and ducking behind it.  She pushed Stiles down between the dumpsters there and waited, listening for any noises while ignoring Stiles’ stuttered breathing as he braced himself with his hands on the ground.  She only turned when he began whispering louder and she could finally make out that he was saying, “ _Not now.  Please, not now_.”

“Stiles?” she asked.

“I’m sorry.  Agent Carter, I’m _so sorry._ ”  Stiles shut his eyes again, screwing them tight and wincing like he was in pain.

“What are you-” she paused, hearing footsteps and shushed him.  She then hushed him again with a hiss when he whimpered, his nails scraping on the floor as he continued to apologise.  “Stiles, it’s fine, just shut u-” Carter was silenced then when a wave of something invisible knocked her back and out of the cover of the wall putting her in Burke’s line of sight.  Her eyes widened even mid-flight as she tried to gather her bearings to aim her gun, but her reflexes had her angling to brace her fall instead, wincing as she landed. When he heard the gun fire, she braced herself for the burn of the bullet, her brow furrowing in confusion when it didn’t come.

“You’re gonna have to move, Special Agent Carter.”  Sophia Carter looked up, responding to her name and title spoken in Stiles’ calm and steady voice, miles away from the whimpering man she’d left moments ago.  When she did, she saw Burke frozen still, and the glinting shine of the bullet he’d fired at least two feet away from her. Frozen. _In mid-air_.

Carter turned to face Stiles.  He was still bent over on the ground, but his arm was stretched out to her.  His typical adorable Bambi eyes - as her coworkers had called them, repeatedly - were different now, eerily flashing, as if iridescent, and completely focused.

On the bullet.

“What the f-”

“Movement,” he said, his voice strained now.  “Movement would be good, Agent Carter. Maybe towards your stalker?”  It was the slight edge of humour in the words that did it. The subtle tone of sarcasm that reminded her of who she was looking at.  Who she’d been getting dinner with to join the team for a Friday game night. The young man who was so incredibly talented, so smart, but the clumsiest moron she’d ever met.  

Who could apparently freeze bullets mid-air by... what - stopping time?  What the hell was going on?

“Sophia!”

Her given name snapped Carter back into the present and she got up, hurriedly, racing around the bullet she could see was moving sluggishly now.  When she got behind Henry Burke, she used her gun to hit him behind the ear cleanly to induce an instant knockout. As soon she did, he fell in real time and her gaze then snapped to the ground where the bullet ricocheted as it sparked on the concrete of the ground.  She registered all that in a matter of seconds before she saw the top of Stiles’ head around the side of the wall where he’d fallen.

Ensuring Burke was out, but still alive, by checking his pulse, Carter raced around the wall to Stiles’ side and crouched down next to the groaning young man.  He was purposefully breathing deep and slow breaths, his hands over his face where he lay on his back. “ _Fuck me,_ ” he said emphatically.

“No thanks,” she quipped and noticed that he chanced a peek through his fingers.  “I’d prefer an explanation.” His irises were still like reflectors, the iridescent light brown and orange glinting in the evening light, the pupil completely gone.  In the distance, she could hear sirens wailing.

Stiles’ eyes looked off in the direction the sirens were coming from.  “Not sure you’ll believe me.”

Carter’s eyebrows went high on her brow.  “Really?” She looked across at the prone body of Henry Burke.  “Because I swear I just felt time slow down,” she said and turned back to Stiles, “by a young FBI trainee who may, or may not, have magic powers, so I wouldn’t get shot.”

Stiles sighed out a long, ‘ _Well... that happened_ ’, sigh.  “Maybe you’re still hungry and imagining things?” he tried.

Carter huffed and shook her head at him.  “Try again.” She grew a little concerned when water began to pool in Stiles’ eyes.  He shut them tight and turned on his side.

“God, Lowell will never let me here the end of this.”  With a groan, he rolled onto his stomach, using his arms to prop himself up before standing shakily.  “On the plus side, I feel much calmer.”

“Calmer?” Carter repeated standing up with him.  “This is calm?”

Stiles nodded and shrugged.  “Wasn’t so calm before, and his bullet grazed my arm,” he added gesturing to the tear on the coat he was wearing.  “Made my...” he hesitated.

Carter waited, an expectant look on her face.  “Your... magic?” she finished with a question.

Stiles’ sighed again.  “My magic lash out.” He looked very disappointed in himself, blinking rapidly as he wiped at his eyes.

Carter was fascinated, staring at him, as from one blink to the next, the pupils in Stiles’ eyes returned seconds before a parade of footsteps came around the corner.  The faces she didn’t recognise eyed her and Stiles, before looking down at the man unconscious on the ground. Carter showed her ID calling out her name and rank, imperceptibly moving herself in front of Stiles as she identified him as a trainee under her purview.  

Stiles stayed to the side, even when the rest of his team came around the corner.  Carter called them over to allow them past the barrier of agents keeping civilians out.  When they got to Stiles, they surrounded him and she let them, her gaze making contact with Stiles’.  A silent promise that she would be getting that explanation later.

***

“Heard you had an adventure.”

Theo looked up from pulling Adam out of the car.  The boy was out cold, snoring lightly, and Theo rolled his eyes.  Ella had raced away moments ago. It was impressive that she managed to tell Derek already.  Theo had barely switched his car off.

“Never having children.  Never. Ever. Neuter me first.”  Adam’s head rolled to drop against his neck.  Boy was like a rag doll. And heavier in sleep.  He thanked Liam for closing the doors behind him.

Derek cocked an eyebrow, looking endlessly amused.  “I’ll remind you of that.”

Theo didn’t miss a beat.  “You do that. Or just skip to the knife.  Don’t care. Your stuff is in the back.” He walked past Derek, handing him the keys as he went and followed Ella, who’d returned to pick up their bags, to the siblings’ room.  She dumped the bags down by her bed and went across to the other side of the small room to pull down Adam’s covers. When Theo got him down, she helped to take off his shoes, coat, socks and trousers and let the boy turn over, dead to the world.

Theo sat in the chair by Ella’s desk and she sat on her bed.  Both of them let out a heavy sigh, looked at each other and smiled, a sense of relief making them grin tiredly at each other.

“Have a good night, brat.”

It was testament to how tired she was that she didn’t even punch him on his way out for the nickname.

***

When Theo returned to the entrance hall, Mason, Corey and Liam were huddled by the front door having a conversation that consisted of a lot of harsh gesturing and hissing whispers.  Nolan was watching them all in amusement, especially when he spotted Theo coming.  Theo let them have their privacy and didn’t try to listen in, but he was tired and wanted to grab a shower soon so he could go to bed.  “So,” he announced louder than needed. The group jumped and looked in his direction, which was enough to tell Theo they were likely talking about him.

Theo sighed.  “It was good to see you guys.  Have a nice drive.” He held out a hand to Mason, surprised when the younger man readily shook his hand and pulled him in for a bro-hug, same with Nolan.  Corey went a step further and just plain hugged him tight with a smile, hard enough he had to take a step back on impact, which was weird. When Liam actually hugged him too, Theo could practically feel the air currents as the two behind him gestured wildly.  And, though he tried, Liam couldn’t completely hide the minute head shake he gave them in answer. Theo nodded once, awkwardly, when they let go of each other and said lamely, “Don’t be a stranger, yeah?” and backed up before turning to walk away.

Corey frowned in confusion as his fellow Chimera walked off to his room and looked to Mason who had the same confused expression.  “That was a platonic hug.” He turned to Liam. “Why is he giving you a platonic hug?” Both of them stared at Liam waiting for an explanation.  

When one wasn’t forthcoming and the beta instead looked forlorn and guilty, Mason rolled his eyes.  “Are you kidding me? We stayed behind so you would talk to him. You didn’t talk to him?”

Liam looked like Mason was kicking him while he was down.  “There were kids around, and then one of them got lost.” He shook his head looking hopeless.  “It’s fine. Let’s go home. I’ll do it another time.”

Mason stopped him with a hand on the crook of his arm, steering his best friend back around to face him.  “No, Liam. It’s been, like, three months, okay? Almost four. And it was alright when you didn’t talk to him because he wasn’t there.  It is not okay now. We came here for you to find out.”

“We came because of the Wyvern.”

This time it was Nolan who spoke up.  “Oh, fuck the Wyvern. We all knew it wasn’t a threat before we left. Don’t even, Liam.”

“Thank you Nolan.”  Mason glared. “I did not waste an eight hour drive.  We came for you to tell him how you feel.”

Liam looked around.  The hall was empty but supernaturals had good hearing and he didn’t need this getting out.  “Mason, drop it. Let’s go. Corey, Nolan, get in the car.”

Corey began to move and was stopped by Mason’s hand.  “Don’t move.” Mason’s gaze hadn’t wavered from Liam’s.  “I am not setting foot out that door. Four months, Liam.  _Four._  I get it.  It’s scary as fuck, and you’re new to this and didn’t know if he felt the same.”  He smiled in support. “That’s why we ran through scenarios with you in the car on the way here. It’s why we listened to your arguments about why this was a bad idea.  Why we hit you upside the head to tell you that you were being stupid afterwards.”

Corey giggled.  “That was fun.” Nolan nodded along as he was the one who got to do it in the back seat.

Mason smiled at his boyfriend’s comment.  “It’s why _we came with you_.  And I’m telling you, as your best friend, it’s okay.  He _feels the same_ ,” he stressed.  ‘I wouldn’t lie to you, especially about something like this.”  He put his hand on Liam’s shoulder, squeezing it in support. Next to him, Nolan gave him two thumbs up.  When Liam looked to Corey, the Chameleon was smiling at him and nodding in agreement with Mason.

“Go get him, Potter.”

Liam turned to go in the direction that Theo has disappeared.  Very suddenly, he found it hard to breathe in.  There was a burning behind his eyes that created a heat he didn’t want to own up to.  He started to shake his head in panic and turned back. “Mas-”

Mason’s face turned stern and he shut Liam up with a ‘mouth closed’ gesture he’d been using on his friend since they were kids. “I will not put up with another day of your pining, Dunbar.  You go after him and you _consummate this shit_ , or so help me God, Liam, I will tell him myself.”

***

Theo had the shower running and his shirt off when there came a knock at his bedroom door.  His brows furrowing in frustration, he shut his eyes to figure out who it was. The surprise had his eyes popping open and his hand turning the tap off.  He picked up his Henley on the way and pulled it on just before he opened the door.

“Liam?” He looked up the corridor for the others.  “What happened?”

Liam shook his head.  “Oh! No, nothing.  I just needed to talk to you before we left.  You took off so fast, so…”

That brought Theo up short.  “Oh. Okay.” He waited. “What is it?” he prompted after a few moments when Liam didn’t say anything.

Liam opened his mouth, but nothing came out.  “Er. Can I come in?” he stalled.

Theo looked unsure, but stepped aside.  “Sure.” He opened the door wider and gestured for Liam to pass, shutting it softly behind him.  “You sure everything’s okay?” He crossed his arms over his chest. “You sound nervous.”

 _Listening in on my heart.  Typical._  “That’s... because I am.” _Come on. It’s like a band-aid, like a band-aid,_ he chanted in his mind.

Theo narrowed his eyes.  “Okay, what’s going on?” he said suspiciously.  “You’re actually making me feel nervous.”

 _Like a band-aid_.  “I like you,” Liam stated.  One blink. Two. Then he was just staring.

Theo stared back.  “Okay.”

Liam’s eyebrows raised.  “Okay?” he mimicked.

Theo shrugged minutely.  “Yeah?” he said a little confused.  “You’re not exactly ringing any new bells here.  I kind of figured you must, since I wouldn’t be set up in your Supernatural Rehab Programme otherwise.”  He rolled his eyes for good measure.

Liam finally understood.  “Oh for-” He huffed rubbing his forehead in frustration.  God, this man sometimes. “No, Theo, I _like_ you.”  He shut his eyes, practically mortified.  “As in _like you_ like you,” he explained further when Theo just continued to stare in silence.  When he opened his eyes, having heard nothing from the other man, he found Theo still staring at him with a frozen expression of surprise.

Surprise that was slowly turning into suspicion.

Theo’s brow line furrowed deeply.  “Is this a joke?” His shoulders were curling in, arms tightening around his chest in defence.  “It’s not funny, Dunbar,” he intoned sharply and Liam found the conversation taking a turn out of control.

He was also confused.  “Why would I joke about this?”

Theo shook his head, eyebrows raised.  “Don’t know. You’ve always had a weird sense of humour. What-”  He laughed bitterly. “Someone found out, right? And now you’re throwing it in my face?”

Liam cast around in his mind to how else he could say it, but Mason had said while they travelled up here to keep it simple.  He didn’t know how much more simple he could make it. _He thinks I’m lying?_  “I’m not lying, Theo.”

Theo was silent for a long moment before he nodded once decisively.  “Okay,” he said shortly. “You need to leave.” He turned and opened his bedroom door.

“Theo-”

“ _Leave_ ,” he said cutting him off, his eyes flashing yellow.

Liam could feel his hands trembling with frustration.  _Don’t get angry,_ Mason had said. _You’re going to get angry, but don’t.  You’ll make it worse_.  He took a deep breath and walked toward the door like he was walking through molasses.  Nearly four months of molasses. Four months of thinking about Theo _fucking_ Raeken and wondering if he was alright, if he’d stuck around or taken off again.  Four months of working his way through denial and anger, at facing up to his feelings once he couldn’t deny it anymore.

His jaw clenched just as he got to the door frame.

“No.”  

Theo snatched his hand back just as the door slammed shut. “What the fuck!” he exclaimed, narrowly missing his hand being slammed with it.  He moved to reopen it.

Liam quickly stepped in front of the door, to block his way.  He held onto the doorknob and pressed his back against the door when it looked like that alone wouldn’t stop Theo from clawing his way through.  “I’m not lying, Theo,” he said trying to convince him.

Theo took a calming breath, letting it out through his nose.  He resembled a man on the precipice of murder. “ _Move_.”

Liam shook his head.  “I’m not lying,” he said again, patiently.  He could feel his eyes burning again, but he’d come too far to back down now.  He saw Theo swallow, the pause giving him hope. “Theo.” It came out softer than before, the tone of it catching Theo’s attention and getting him to finally make eye contact.  “I’m not.” He risked letting go of the door and slowly reached out to catch the hem of Theo’s Henley. The material was soft and threadbare in a few spots. He’d obviously had it for a long time.  When he didn’t get a bad reaction, Liam took a slow, cautious step into Theo’s space. One more step got Theo to uncross his arms or risk losing balance altogether. Liam counted it as a small victory. “I wouldn’t,” he continued, shaking his head minutely, “not about this.”  The edge of material in his fingers became a fistful as he spoke, just in case Theo decided to run. Theo wasn’t moving, though, so Liam decided to be patient and wait.

Nothing wrong with a little nudge, though.

“You’re not saying anything,” he said quietly, afraid to break the fragile silence.  He looked up, catching Theo’s eyes and cocked his head to the side. “But that… doesn’t mean no, does it?”  He got a handful of the soft material in his other hand and rose onto the balls of his feet to bring him a little higher.  “So I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to kiss you now.” He waited for any sign that he wouldn’t be welcome. When none came, he closed the minimal distance between them, feeling the slight intake of breath from Theo before their lips sealed together.

It was like a sigh of relief, the catch and release of it making him tremble.  Like jumping from a cliff into the sea, only to find the water warm instead of bracing.  Liam pulled back enough only to get a better angle and dive in again. First, he heard a _miss, beat - thump_ of Theo’s heartbeat and suddenly there was extra pressure from the man moving closer and hands finding a place on his hips, trailing up his back to settle either side of his face.  The touch was gentle but the kiss held strength. Liam felt himself get pushed back into the door hard enough that a rush of air was pulled from his lungs when he landed against it. Without pause, Theo followed, the kiss turning urgent as his tongue licked lightly across Liam’s lips seeking entrance, parting Liam’s mouth open to delve inside.  A low, desperate sound came from Theo’s throat and he pressed his forehead against Liam’s to lever himself away. He didn’t separate any more than that, though, which Liam counted as a win.

“Okay,” Liam whispered not wanting to disrupt whatever had loosened Theo’s barriers.  “That’s a better response,” he continued out of breath, “but why are we stopping?”

Theo leaned his forehead on Liam’s temple.  “You have to… to go home.” It wasn’t resolute, but his voice was steady all the same.  Only the grip Theo held him in belayed his words. Liam could feel the twitch in Theo’s fingers where they clung to the back of his coat, he was holding him so tightly.

Liam tried not to feel disappointed.  He swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat.  He _had_ to ask.  “Why?”

The breath at his neck was scorching where Theo seemed to be breathing him in.  “Because.”

Liam waited, but Theo seemed to have gone mute again.  “You know me better than that,” he said, turning his head inwards.  “That’s not an answer. Not one I’ll accept.”

Theo shivered at the feel of Liam talking against his skin.  “You’re the only beta Scott has in Beacon Hills. You have to protect it.  You have to go home. So we have to stop.” He still didn’t move.

Try as he might, Liam didn’t get what that had to do with kissing him.  It actually sounded like Theo was trying to convince himself to let Liam go, rather than get Liam to leave at all.  “What does that have to do with anything?”

Theo was finally moving, raising his head from its station on Liam’s shoulder.  “Because if I don’t stop,” he said after taking a breath and opened his eyes to stare Liam down. The yellow gold of his eyes shone bright.  “ _You’re not leaving_.”

Liam paused, finally working out what Theo was saying.  Finally realising that _Mason was_ _right._ He let himself relax against the door this time, instead of being held against it.  A confidence taking him, even though he could still hear his own his heartbeat pounding away in his chest. His eyebrows rose as he stared at the Chimera. “So, what you’re saying is,” he began as his hands let go of Theo’s shirt and hooked into the band and belt of his jeans.  When Theo startled and looked down, his eyes returning to normal in the process, Liam raised one hand to hold Theo’s chin and angle it back to look at him. “No. Eyes on me.”  He placed his hand back and was first-hand witness as Theo’s pupils blew wide to encase the iris when he began to undo his belt.

“So, what you’re saying is,” he repeated, tugging the strap out of the buckle, “if I don’t leave this _very second_ ,”  he continued, popping the button and drawing down the zipper.  He felt Theo tense and arch as Liam’s hands trailed along his hips and slipped down the back of his jeans to grab a handful of pale skin in each palm.  The move forced Theo to pitch forward with a gasp as he further pressed Liam into the door, the friction at the front of his jeans making him moan. “You just won’t be able to help yourself?” Liam finished with a cocked eyebrow and a grin.  “Because I could get behind that. Literally.”

“Fuck.”  And suddenly that solid, pleasant weight was shifting, and fingers were combing into Liam’s hair.  His head was being tilted back and he was being kissed again. He smiled into it, smug to have Theo lose control like that over something he did.  Theo’s name left him in a pleasant sigh when that talented mouth moved to kiss, lick and bite its way down his jawline and neck. A low rumbling moan was all that answered him, and it vibrated against his skin, the contact only interrupted when Theo was stripping the coat from Liam’s shoulders.

“Tell me that you’re not going to make me leave again,” he said as Theo’s mouth made its way to his collarbone.

All movement paused, Liam was sure if he concentrated, he could hear the sound of Theo’s brain rebooting. That put-upon sigh through his nose annoyed him greatly.  “Liam-”

Liam cut Theo off with another kiss, going up on the balls of his feet again, letting the drag of his body provide friction as it travelled.  He let his hands stroke upwards in tandem, past Theo’s chest, settling around his neck to hold him in place. Theo was breathing heavily through his nose, just helplessly following.  That was good. At least what Liam remembered of Mason’s directions were foolproof. When he broke the kiss, he was delighted to find Theo following his mouth and he put a finger over Theo’s lips to stop him.  “Nuh-uh, I want to hear you say it.” He waited and dodged when Theo went in for a kiss anyway. He flicked Theo on his nose - making the man blink in surprise, which was amusing - shook his head and smiled. “Do as you’re told.”

Theo stared and Liam could see the cogs turning in his mind, weighing up whether it was worth it to fight.  In the end, Theo shook his head. “I won’t,” he whispered.

“Promise me,” Liam repeated, since the instructions weren’t clear the first time..

Theo shook his head ruefully.  “My promises aren’t worth much.”

Liam refused to let that slide, eyes narrowing.  “They are when you make them to me.”

Theo paused, taking in that declaration.  There wasn’t a skip, or any other irregularity in Liam’s heartbeat.  He was simply waiting. “I promise.” The quiet of it made it seem all the more important.  Liam’s beam of a smile made it all the more worth it. The kiss he got as a reward made his toes curl.

“Good boy,” Liam murmured against his lips, smiling at him as he let his feet fall flat.

Theo huffed at the dog joke and wondered what else he was going to be subjected to when he suddenly realised that Liam hadn’t stopped getting shorter.  The man was already on his knees by the time Theo got over the shock of his jeans being pulled down just enough. When the bolt of heat came around the crown of his cock, his hands were in fists and he absently began to worry whether he may actually cause an indent where he was pressing his forehead into the door.

“Fuck!  _Liam_!”  It was all he could manage to say before he was reduced to his mouth simply remaining open against the door.  He breathed harshly to avoid getting lightheaded.  When he was fully enveloped in the tight heat of Liam’s mouth, he felt the sudden, sharp scratch of his claws and extended his fingers so he wouldn’t pierce through his skin. A whimper built at the back of his throat that turned into a whine when Liam pulled away and sucked him back in again.

A telltale pressure was building in his gut and Theo knew he wouldn’t last much longer, especially when he forced himself to look down and bore witness to what Liam was doing on his knees.  “L - Liam-”

The force and pressure of suction increased and his eyes widened as his orgasm was torn from him without warning.  Theo’s cry was wordless, his claws scraping along the wood of the door as his knees buckled and he sank to the ground.  He was grateful when Liam let him land in his lap. His head fell to the beta’s shoulder as he panted and waited for his heart to get under control.

“Where the hell did you learn how to do that?” he managed when he could finally breathe properly.  Last he knew, Liam was straight as an arrow with very little experience relating to sex with men. He looked up when Liam chuckled.

He caught the tail end of Liam wiping the corner of his mouth and felt his heart beat double-time when he saw him lick his fingers.  Those blue eyes snapped focus on him as he took his now clean finger from his mouth. “Mason showed me.”

And God, but his voice was gravelly.  “ _Mason showed you_?”

Liam smirked like he knew what Theo was thinking.  “Mmm, on a banana, back in tenth grade.” He pushed at Theo’s chest and the tangle of his jeans caused him to fall back hard on the floor.  Theo almost asked what the hell Liam was doing, but froze when the man leaned forward on all fours and began to smoothly crawl over him. “He wanted someone to learn with him so he didn’t feel stupid.”  He shrugged like it was no big deal. “But I kept eating the bananas and he kept getting upset with me.” Liam continued moving, crawling up Theo’s body, like he was honest-to-God climbing him, Theo was motionless in awe and arousal at the image.  “So he brought me a cucumber instead.” When Liam was done moving, he was straddling Theo’s waist. “That lasted longer. I’m not a fan of cucumbers.” His face screwed up in profound disapproval of the innocent vegetable. “They’ve got a weird name, too.”  He suddenly looked like he remembered something cool. “You know, When Roald Dahl wrote the BFG, he used them as inspiration for Snozzcumbers.” He gave an amused shake of his head looking off into middle distance. “Which says it all, really.”

Theo couldn’t help the small, helpless smile that surfaced on his face.  He’d almost forgotten just how… _Liam-like_ Liam could be.  Full of surprising historical facts that appeared at random through his non-existent brain-to-mouth filter.  He was reminded of the zoo months ago, learning about soldiers being defeated in the Mykonos. Finally finding his voice, “I have no idea what to do with this conversation,” Theo remarked.

Liam used a thumb to press on Theo’s forehead until his neck was relaxed and his head was resting on the ground.  “Not a conversation.” He lowered his body until they were pressed chest to hip and Theo’s hands reflexively found themselves plastered to Liam’s thighs, helpless to stop them as they trailed slowly upwards to rest on his back when Liam kissed him again.

When Liam finally showed mercy on him, he slipped down a little and propped his chin on his folded arms that he’d rested on Theo’s clavicle.  “So,” he began. “I gave it some thought. I really think you should make me your boyfriend.” The quirk in his mouth once he said it had Theo’s gaze staring before taking in Liam’s face.

The angle that they’d landed on the floor had the electric faux-sconce next to the door shining behind Liam’s head making his hair shine halo gold around his head.  Theo stared into blue earnest eyes, framed in divine light, and was lost. “Yeah, okay.”

He hadn’t known the smile could get brighter.  “Yeah?” The question wasn’t as confident as the original proposal.  Theo let out a helpless sound of laughter and awe.

He let his head fall with another thunk on the floor and stared up at the wood rafters of his ceiling.  “Yeah. I found your argument thoroughly convincing.” He shook with silent laughter and let his arms spread out either side of him.

***

“ _Quiesce._ ”

“Quiesce.”

“ _That’s good, Stiles.  Again._ ”

“Quiesce.”  Stiles shut his eyes tighter, his hands fisting on the countertop.  He kept repeating the word. “Quiesce.”

“ _Just keep repeating it.  Don’t forget to breathe. Long, deep, even._ ”  

Stiles gripped the edge of his kitchen counter, continuing his deep breathing as he panicked, watching items in his living room tremble.  He shut his eyes tight to block it out.

There was a tired sigh on the line.  “ _Stiles, I really think you need to come out here.  This is the last set I can give you without reading you.  Anything else requires the binding of your Spark._ ”

“No!” Stiles said, as sure of his decision as he was minutes ago when Lowell had first brought it up. He ducked his head in reflex as a bulb exploded in the lamp in his living room.  “Shit.”

“ _Exactly_.”  The sigh was tinged with frustration this time.  “ _Stiles, if you can’t find your anchor this is going to get worse.  We’ve tried finding something strong enough to help you, but all it’s done is blow things up on our side.  Derek’s getting suspicious. Sparks are wondrous, but they’re also dangerous when left unchecked. You_ need _to find your anchor.  Like - months ago._ ”

“You think I haven’t tried?!” Stiles yelled down the phone line.  “Tell Derek this is none of his business.”

“ _Yeah.  That will only make him more suspicious.  And it kind of is his business.”_

Stiles took in another breath, feeling a little better now.  “Derek doesn’t have to know everything that goes on in the world.  Just tell Sourwolf you’re helping me with some spells I’m practicing.”

There was a scoff on the phone.  “ _Think you’re the only one allowed to call him that, but I really think you should tell him what’s going on.”_

“I-”  He stopped, interrupted by the knock on his front door.  “Hold on.” He walked up to the door, his eye going to the peephole.  “Shit,” he whispered.

“ _Who is it?”_

“No one.  Look, I have to go.  I’ll call you later.”  He raced back to his kitchen counter and hung up his cell phone, coming back just as quickly to the front door and opening it.  His SO stood on the other side, unimpressed. “Agent Carter.”

“M. Night Stilinski,” she said with a cocked brow.  The joke actually made him laugh for the first time that night.  He stood aside and gestured for her to come in. “Who was on the phone?”  At his surprised look, she watched him deadpan. “I was outside for a while. You were yelling. You okay?”

“You were - what were you doing out there?”  When she shrugged in reply, his brow furrowed at the mystery.  “Were you deciding on whether to knock?” He’d meant it as a joke, but her silence spoke volumes.  He clucked his tongue. She wasn't deciding. She’d been scared to. “I’m not gonna hurt you, Agent Carter.”

Her eyes stared daggers at him.  It reminded him of Lydia when she was forced to admit to a weakness.  Sadly, it made him feel better, like he was on familiar ground. “I know that.  The freezing of bullets mid-air kind of gave it away.”

Stiles let a hand pass over his face, suddenly exhausted.  “You want something to drink?” he offered.

“I want an explanation.”

He nodded.  “Well - then the drink is a prerequisite.  I’ll be right back.” He walked off into the kitchen.  “Make yourself comfortable.”

“So,” Carter led slowly.  “Does this happen a lot?” She sat on the sofa to watch him in the kitchen as he poured a drink, drank it and then poured another one.  And drank it. “How long have you been...” She paused, not sure how to finish that sentence.

Stiles chuckled and pulled out another glass.  He poured one for Carter and brought it over. “Magical?”  He stood with the bottle in his hand. “Apparently all my life?  I had only used it once before, but it wasn’t enough to wake it up.  It was small time. Nothing, really." He huffed, amused. "Recently, though, I pretty much dumped ice-cold water over it and pushed it out of bed."

“Rude.”

Stiles brought the bottle to his lips.  He chuckled again. “Don’t I know it.” He took a sip and then shook his head.  “Well I’m paying for it.” He turned and put the bottle on the counter before he went too far.  When he came back he sat down in the only other chair he had. “I can’t control it all the time.”

Carter’s eyebrows rose.  “It seemed pretty controlled.”

Stiles shook his head.  “No, it still does as it’s told. I just-”  He sighed. “Think of it like - you live your whole life as normal, right?  Walking through doorways, opening and closing things. When you get angry, you slam doors, when you’re scared you tense - excited, you jump up and down -  stuff like that.”

Carter nodded.  “Yeah.”

“Yeah.  Only now, you have super-strength.  You’ve got to relearn how to do everything.  When you open a door, grasping the handle is a whole new science, getting angry and slamming one can bring down your house.  Get excited or scared-”

“And I stop time?” she asked with humour.

Stiles laughed emptily.  His hands covering his face as his head fell back on the chair.  “It’s a reflex action. I didn’t want you to get shot. I saw you get pushed out from behind the wall when my magic went looking for the guy that shot me.  He was going to shoot you and I didn’t want that, especially because he only saw you because of me.” When he brought his hands down to his lap he saw that Carter was nodding as if she understood.

“And the person on the phone?”

Stiles looked at his cell on the chair next to him.  “A mage I know who’s helping me to control it."  He smiled when her eyebrows raised at the term 'mage'.  "He’s making it his mission to find my anchor, mainly because it’s partly his fault I woke my magic up in the first place.”

“Are you still having trouble?”

Stiles head cocked to the side.  “I was. He talked me down a bit.  Gave me some other anchoring words that can help me in a pinch.”

“That was the Latin you were chanting?  It’s that bad? Do I need to be worried?”

Stiles shrugged.  “I’m fine.” At her narrowed eyes, he tried again.  “I _will be_ fine.”

She sat back finishing her drink.  “Alright. I’ll believe you. For now.”  At his look of surprise, she held up a hand.  "Oh, I am not done with the questions.  But I've known you for a few months, and looking at you now I can see you're exactly the same.  Those were the immediate concerns I had."

Stiles nodded.  “Thank you.”

Carter brushed it off and put her glass on the table in front of her.  “But they also weren’t the only reason I came over.”

“They wasn’t?”

She shook her head looking at him obviously.  “No, Stilinski. You were a part of taking down a wanted criminal.  And I can’t exactly put down that my trainee helped me by stopping the bullet mid-air so I could knock him out from behind.  We need to get your story straight.”

Stiles nodded slowly and sat forward. Glad to focus on something other than his wayward Spark.  “I’m all ears.”

***

Liam woke up very warm with a heavy weight on his chest.  He opened his eyes to the dim light that the sun was beginning to cast on the ceiling and watched the pattern of shadows from the trees outside trip over themselves like water.  He raised a hand to rub at his eyes tiredly and looked down at the head of hair planted directly below his chin. He covered his eyes as he smiled this time.

_I actually did it._

Theo was fast asleep, and still very much on top of him where they’d fallen asleep talking last night, though the Chimera was mostly buried under the covers where the bare minimum of light could get to him.  Liam sighed. He actually needed to use the bathroom, but anchored down to the mattress as he was, he couldn’t really move. Theo had his arms around him, head lying on his chest, the rest of him stretching out to the foot of the bed.  Liam’s fingers played with the hair that had fallen in Theo’s face and felt the Chimera sigh as if he was waking up.

“Hello.”

Liam jumped in surprise at the, until then, unnoticed presence and looked to his left to see Ella sitting in the chair by Theo’s desk.  His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He hadn’t heard anything pertaining to outside of the covers and wondered at how distracting Theo really was if he was completely blind and deaf to someone else in the room.

Theo also jumped, startled out of sleep by Liam’s sudden movement and sharp intake of breath.  “What, what is it? What happened?” The voice was sleepy, but still wary as he looked up at Liam and then around, his tired gaze falling on Ella who waved sheepishly from the chair.  Theo rolled his eyes and groaned. “Urgh,” he grumbled. “Ella, I swear, no concept of privacy.” His body relaxed as he turned his head over and lay back down on Liam’s chest to face the other way.

“Privacy is for-”

Theo didn’t even bother to move so he could reply, and ignored Liam’s second jump in response to the other interloper in their midst.  “Yes I know the rest of the saying, thank you.” He continued getting comfortable and pulled the quilt over his head again.

Ella came up to the bed from the desk.  “Yoga class is in twenty minutes, Theo. You’re normally outside already.”  She looked up at Liam. “This is our last one before we have to come inside for Winter.”  She was leaning her torso on the bed to poke Theo in the shoulder. “You said to never let you sleep in.”

“Did you copulate?” Theo opened his eyes on Liam’s chest and pulled the covers down enough to see Adam standing on the other side of his bed, leaning much like Ella was behind him.  The young beta was leaned further on his crossed arms and whispered, “You smell like you did. Everyone seems smells this way when they find a mate.”

Theo felt Liam shaking and shut his eyes in mortification.  “Oh my- give me ten minutes, I’ll meet you outside!” He pulled the quilt back over his head.

“But-” they began in unison.  

“Out!  Out of my room.”  He leaned on one arm to point toward the door with the other.

When they left, he fell back down hearing the exhale Liam gave when he landed on him.  Then he felt the werewolf shaking again and raised his head. Liam had a hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter, but it showed in his eyes and the fact that he couldn’t keep still. He started shaking his head.  The mirth made his eyes bright. It was a good look on him. “Hi.”

Liam stopped physically shaking, but the laughter was still present in his eyes.  “Good morning.” The words were warm, welcoming. Theo very much didn’t want to leave.

But… “So, I have to lead a yoga class.”

The mirth grew and brightened to the point that it had to show through a smile.  “I still can’t believe you do yoga.”

Theo shrugged.  “Give the people what they want.  You should try it. Meditation may help with that anger of yours.  You still working on that?” he added curiously.

Liam cocked an eyebrow.  “I can break your nose again and we can find out?” he sassed.

Theo dragged himself up the bed so he was aligned with the younger man.  Liam hummed as Theo moved, settling back as the light pressure sank him into the mattress until he could look straight up, eyes flicking back and forth with a fond stare.  He waited long enough for Theo to kiss him before he leaned up to do it himself, relaxing into the pillow when Theo followed him down, as he knew he would.

The warm feeling of contentment that he’d had the night before, coupled with the gradual weight he could feel as Theo relaxed more, made him smile.  It was mere moments, though, when Theo pulled away. “I have to go.” He looked regretful, but levered himself up anyway.

Liam sighed and let his hands fall back to the mattress.  “Okay.” He watched Theo get up, feeling the cool air replace the veritable sauna that was Theo Raeken when he moved and turned on his side to watch him dress for his class.  “Hey...” he called hesitantly. “I want to ask you a question, but I don’t want you to get upset or go all silent on me.”

Theo paused in dressing, but looked over his shoulder to look at the man in his bed.  “Okay.” The word was a positive response, but his body language was sharper now. Liam sighed when he noticed it.

But, he’d got this far.  Might as well continue. “Last night, you asked me if I’d found out and come here to throw it in your face.”

Theo’s face shut down.

 _Well, shit._  Liam swung his feet off the bed and got up.  He was unsettled when Theo actually took a half-step back.  “Theo-”

“I was angry.”

Liam took a half-step forward anyway.  “I noticed.” He was gratified when Theo didn’t move away and took another.

“I didn’t mean it,” the man muttered.

Well that didn’t sound very convincing.  “You didn’t mean to accuse me of throwing your feelings in your face?” he asked slowly, as if trying to work out the answer as he spoke. “Or you didn’t mean to tell me that you had feelings for me at all?”  Considering Theo's expression, Liam decided it was the latter, definitely. He put out a hand to tangle his fingers with Theo’s and pulled the man in. Since Theo was still looking away from him, he angled his head to get eye contact. “Were you ever going to tell me?”  Theo broke eye contact again, looking down and away. He was silent, but shook his head in the negative. “Why not?” Liam asked, knowing even as he searched for an answer that he was a hypocrite. Without Mason, he’d likely be in his room regretting that he hadn’t admitted how he felt.

Theo huffed.  “Because I can’t be a member of your pack, Liam,” he said as if it were obvious.  Liam looked confused. “None of them trust me, not really, and I don’t like being told to sit and stay. Two coyotes in a pack make for a lot of chaos and bad temperament, and the humans can’t stand me.”

Liam shook his head to negate that.  “That’s not true. Mason-”

“Mason,” Theo emphasised as he spoke over him, “isn’t the only human in your pack. The ones left over, I either tried to kill or tried to have someone else kill.”  He shook his head ruefully as if that proved his point. “Telling you meant nothing, because I could never join you. And by this point, I would never ask you to leave." He shrugged.  "So I left, but I couldn’t even go far.” He laughed emptily. “Turns out that didn’t matter either, because you didn’t even notice I was still there.”

Liam felt something shrivel inside of him.  He hadn’t noticed that Theo was still in Beacon Hills, let alone working in the only good coffee shop in the county.  He twisted a hand in Theo’s t shirt, pulling him in. “I’m sorry.”

Theo angled his head away from any more kisses.  “It doesn’t matter, Liam.”

Liam placed a hand on either side of Theo’s head, turning it so Theo could see his face and how serious he was.  “It does matter.” He moved closer. “Your feelings matter. They matter to me.”

Theo seemed uncomfortable with how real this was getting.  He glanced at his clock by his bed and caught the time displayed there.  “You sure you don’t want to come with?”

Liam shook his head, understanding the reason for Theo’s change in subject.  He gave him a small smile. “I’m good. Still tired. Wake me when you get back?” he asked letting him know he wasn’t going anywhere.  He’d have to find his friends though. He'd texted them to ask if they could overnight. The response was a resounding and rather over-enthusiastic ‘ _YES!_ ’, a series of kiss and eggplant emojis and some increasingly disturbing GIFs, but he wasn’t sure where they’d slept last night.

In front of him, Theo nodded but still looked unsure.  Liam rolled his eyes and laughed.  “Go ahead. I’m not going anywhere. Not til lunch at least.  Plenty of time, Raeken.”

***

“Did you get some?” Corey asked as soon as he spotted Liam enter the Mess with Theo closer to ten.

Liam rolled his eyes, looking around the room to see if anyone was actively listening to them.  “Wha-”

“He got a little some,” Theo said with sass, sliding into the booth they occupied after Liam.  “Because I’m a lady, who doesn’t put out on a first date. Of which there have been none.”

Liam turned to him.  When Theo had left for his yoga class earlier, it hadn't seemed like he'd believed Liam in the slightest.  He'd woken sometime later to a pink-faced, cold-handed menace waking him up with kisses on his neck and telling him he needed to get to breakfast before the kitchens closed for lunch.  They'd been too busy to talk for a while, as Theo kept distracting him, until he'd declared he had to feed him. Liam didn't quite believe that Theo was ready to make jokes so soon.  Only one way to test it, though.  So he made one of his own. “And yet, you put out a little.”

Theo turned to face him too.  His eyes narrowed. “Shut up, Dunbar.  Have you looked in a mirror lately? I said I’m a lady, not a nun.”  He rolled his eyes and got up. “Jesus.” Liam watched him walk off toward the kitchen, presumably to talk to the woman they’d met yesterday who’d scolded them all for eating burgers at four am.  He could hear him making an order for two and tuned him out, looking instead at his friends.

They were all grinning.  

Liam regretted coming there immediately.  “Oh my god. Get it over with.”

“You totally got some!” Corey said excited.

“What did you get?” Nolan said, munching on his toast.  His eyebrows waggled suggestively when Liam turned to him.

Liam dropped his head to the table, pillowing them on his crossed arms.  “I’m never telling any of you anything ever again.”

He felt a warm hand on his forearm and turned his head to look at Mason.  His manic grin had simmered down to a warm smile. “I’m so proud of you. And I’m so happy for you too.”

Liam couldn’t help the responding smile.  “Thanks, man.”

A plate with piping hot food that smelled incredible was placed in front of him.  “You guys done?” Theo said, placing his own plate down and sliding into the booth again.  “Stayed away as long as I could but Lesley said you need to eat because you’re too thin.” He gestured to the plate.  “Eat. So I don’t get yelled at later.”

Liam dug into the hash browns first, the noises he was making made Theo clear his throat, Mason say ‘ _I know, right_?’ and Corey and Nolan giggle.  

“You guys get to walk around any?”  Theo said before biting into his toast.

Nolan nodded.  “We roamed a lot, but didn’t want to wander too much because we weren’t really sure what we could and couldn’t do.  Spent most of our time in the library to be honest.”

Theo nodded.  “I have some free time until after lunch.  You want an actual tour?” He got a group of excited smiles in return.

***

Hours later at the door, Liam pulled Theo aside as Mason drove his car up the circular driveway from the garages around the side.  “I need to get you a really good present for Christmas,” he said quietly.

“Can we come here to stay for Christmas?” Corey said.  Evidently they hadn’t moved enough to the side so as not to be overheard.  Theo was chuckling under his breath at the interruption, but Corey’s question made Liam think.

“Scott said he’s coming back for the Christmas break.  I could come up,” he suggested.

Theo took in Liam biting his lip and asking to spend more time with him.  He smiled. “I’d like that.”

The smile broke out into a grin.  “Me too.”

“Yes, me too,” Corey said.  “Since it was my idea.”

Theo rolled his eyes.  He focused on Liam. “You’re welcome to me.”  He turned this time to the pair and Mason, who was walking up from his car.  “You guys can ask Derek,” he added, his voice filled with humour.

“Ask Derek what?” Mason said out of the loop.

“Why doesn’t Liam have to ask Derek?” Corey pouted.

Theo shrugged with one shoulder.  “You’d need somewhere to stay.” He eyed Liam knowingly.  “My boyfriend won’t need his own room.”

Liam was sure the teasing he’d get for the blush that spread on his face and down his neck would be brutal.  Still. Just under three weeks. He couldn’t wait.

***

One week before Christmas the full moonrise could be seen at the crest of the gentle slope of a hill that led from the main house to the field bordered by the forest.  Theo took in a deep breath feeling a baseline hum in his bones.

“What’s got you looking so maudlin?  You not running?”

The full moon run was something the whole compound took part in.  As soon as dinner was over, every month, people began meandering outside and walking toward the forest border or going into their beta shift to play in the open field.  Some of the children that were able to shift were playing with a group of adults watching them near to the trees. Theo could see Adam from where he stood and knew Ella couldn’t be that far away.

“I will in a bit.”  He gave a grin. “Scott’s pack doesn’t do runs and these last few months haven’t felt like this before.”

“Like what?”  Derek leaned his back against the short wall of the courtyard next to where Theo stood.  

Theo shook his head not knowing what to say.  “I haven’t felt anything before. I don’t know how to explain it and I’m not sure you’d understand either given you’re a born wolf.”  He shook his head disregarding it and focussed on something else. “Wanna go full shift and see if I can beat you to the trees?”

Derek scoffed turning around to view the span of grass occupied by so many people.  “There isn’t any way that would be possible in this lifetime, Raeken.” He leaned back to the length of his arms and tapped his fingers against the stone.  Theo rolled his eyes in response.  Shaking his head, he smiled at the howls he could hear and shut his eyes to bask in it.  “Can you feel it?” Derek asked curiously.  “The moon.”

Theo let his brow furrow a little, deciding on how to answer. “I never could before,” he said in contemplation.  He took in a deep breath, his gaze going to the sky.  “Still can’t, not really. But there’s a hum in the air, like a low frequency vibration.” A sad, wistful smile crossed his face.  “It feels like how I believe a pull would feel, but I know it’s not.” He shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “Must be the energy everyone is putting out. Maybe all that meditation has me able to better tune in,” he joked.

Derek let his gaze leave Theo before the Chimera saw the expression on his face.  Didn’t want him to think he was pitying him. Because he wasn’t. Months ago, when Stiles came back to the compound with him, he’d asked about Theo, not knowing who he was or why everyone had been so... distant with him.  Stiles told him about the Chimera pack, about Theo and Scott. About Donovan. Months ago hearing Theo talk, he would have thought it served the man right to feel this way, to be cut off from the moon in such a cruel way. Now though...  “Maybe.” Derek took a deep breath this time. “I don’t think I could ever imagine not being able to feel her.” When Theo looked over, Derek’s gaze was fixed on the moon still cresting over the trees. Theo looked at it, his gaze feeling forlorn.  

“The Dread Doctors told me that even though I was part wolf, I couldn’t belong to a pack.”  His eyes ran over the myriad of people chasing each other in the moonlight, looking carefree and happy.  “There is no connection between the man and the Spark that creates my wolf to begin with.”

"Ah."  Derek nodded knowingly.  “This is about Liam.”

Theo huffed.  The phone calls and texts and Facetime calls he’d had with Liam since he left weeks ago were everything.  He’d never felt so happy. Liam was excited to come back for Christmas break. He and his friends were leaving tomorrow and would likely be at the compound by tomorrow evening.

But every time Liam hung up, Theo would feel something tugging at him.  “Scott’s pack. They’re never going to let me in. Even if they want to, which is unlikely.  I’m not bitten, not born. I’m engineered.” He looked over at the born wolf. “Even if I kill, I don’t inherit.  I have to siphon - _steal_.”  He shook his head and leaned against the wall.  “I looked at that pack and just... _wanted_ so badly.” Theo’s head was pillowed sideways on his arms.  He stared off into the forest. “But it wasn’t right - in the end, it wasn’t right.”

“You don’t want it anymore?”

Theo swallowed around a slight lump in his throat.  “I thought I did,” he said softly. His nail scraped against the stone of the wall.  “I really thought - but I wanted it for all the wrong reasons.” He looked up at the sky and shut his eyes again.  “This place,” he said in an exhaled breath and gripped onto the concrete lip under his fingers, “it’s - it’s what I was looking for, I-”

“You don’t want to leave.”

Theo couldn’t look at him, but he shook his head eventually.  “I let him be the first time, for the same reason. One of the only selfless things I’ve ever done.” He laughed bitterly.  “Then he followed me out here.” He huffed a breath and tapped a rhythm with the tips of his fingers this time. “Finally let him go, and he follows me, pretty much _forced_ me to listen to him-”  He cut himself off. “How am I supposed to let him go now?” he asked, desperate for advice.

Derek shrugged.  “Who says you have to let him go?”

Theo looked away watching all the people he’d come to know.  “I can’t go back there. To Beacon Hills.” He’d come to the realisation before Liam had ever turned up weeks ago.  This place - the whole compound, down to the earth it stood on - felt like home. He’d never felt more relaxed, more safe.  “But I can’t ask him to walk out on his family.”

Derek leaned forward, his hands lacing together.  He turned his head to face Theo.  “Then you need to make a choice.”

Theo rested his chin on his folded arms again.  He could see Adam do a cartwheel in the grass and tilted his head to lay his cheek down and looked at Derek.  “Like you did?”

Those expressive eyebrows raised at the impertinence of the question.  “Excuse you?”

Theo rolled his eyes.  “Are we still pretending there’s no elephant in that room?”  Before Derek could even reply. “I just want to know,” he stressed as he got up enough to mimic Derek's stance, “If I leave him alone… will it go away?”

Derek was silent at that and Theo let him contemplate his answer.  To answer at all was an admission and Theo understood all about being careful.  Derek obviously had his reasons for his vehement denial. Theo stood up, away from the wall, and began taking off his shirt.  “So,” he began, changing the subject, “full shift or not, old man?”

Derek snorted, taking the change in subject as the lifeline it was and began to pull at his sweater.  “Just for that, I’m kicking your ass.”

Theo undid his jeans.  “Ah, but you’d have to catch it first.”

Derek’s head came out of his sweater with his hair in disarray. “Oh, we’re going there?”  His sweater was placed on the wall. “Okay, Raeken-”

Derek was silenced by the terror-filled scream that was followed by a roaring howl they’d never heard before.  The air itself seemed to freeze, all the betas on the grounds freezing with it. In that split second of Theo stating, “That was Ella,” the two of them vaulted over the wall.   Landing as black wolves, their jeans falling off behind them, they both darted across the field, sprinting into the trees.

Theo angled toward the area close to where Adam had been playing, knowing instinctively that Ella wouldn’t have wandered too far.  That bore the question why there was a wolf so close to the compound and what happened to the men running patrols. He was proven right in his instinct when another howl sounded up ahead to their right.  It sounded angry, frustrated and by scent alone Theo realised they were dealing with an alpha. From the sound of the unhinged roar, it was the feral one they’d been looking out for. A quick, shared look told him Derek had noticed too and they pushed themselves to run faster, Theo zeroing in on Ella’s scent.  She was being chased, then. But she was fast, he knew, and a lot more agile now than she’d been when he first met her.

He remembered the little girl in her tutu, spinning in awkward, clumsy circles, and then fast forwarded to the proud grin she gave him the other day when she was finally able to do her first single pirouette turn by following yet another tutorial on Youtube.

Theo felt a snarl erupt out of him at another scream.   _No one_ was taking that away.  No fucking feral alpha was taking her away from him.

Both of them crashed simultaneously through the bushes where they could hear a loud commotion.  A wolf in alpha-shift was running at a tree trunk and, once it hit, it stepped back to do it again.  Halfway up the trunk, there was blood caking the bark. Derek and Theo could see Ella using her whole body to grip tight to a high branch.  Theo felt proud of the clever girl who knew she couldn’t outrun an alpha, so had climbed to get away from it instead.

But the alpha was knocking against the trunk, the whole tree shaking and beginning to uproot and Ella was…

Theo felt his heart skip and sink, because Ella was slipping.  Next to him, Derek howled, the sound rising loud, long, and angry.  

A call to arms.

Another snarl escaped Theo’s throat and he charged as the alpha turned to Derek’s war cry.  Theo was fast enough to slash once and disappear into the bushes on the other side, his coat dark enough to hide him.  When the alpha turned to scan for him, Derek attacked from the other side. He landed on the alpha’s back, taking a bite out of him before he was swiped off and landed neatly near to a tree.  Lowering himself to the ground, Derek gave a snarl of his own.

The alpha glanced to where Theo had gone and back at Derek.  After a pause, it looked up at Ella, who was still struggling to hang on and chose to run at the tree again.

Theo could feel other wolves approaching but knew they were still a ways off and, if Ella fell now, he couldn’t guarantee her safety.  He saw the glance the alpha gave in his general direction and knew when it looked up, enraptured at the young beta in the tree, that it wouldn’t be distracted so simply.  As it made contact with the tree, Theo had already run up and gripped onto a shoulder. He used the momentum of the jump to clamp down hard with his jaw and swung to pull it away from the tree.

The alpha came away.  Unfortunately, Ella also lost her grip at the jarring shake.

The fall was like watching in slow motion.  The sound of her scream echoed in his ear as he registered the alpha land and roll.  He spared a glance to Derek, tagging him in before he vaulted over it, hearing Derek growl as Theo landed on the other side.  Ella’s landing was loud in his ears too, like the fall of wet clothes smacking down on a tiled floor.

He’d just reached her when he heard the alpha roar in pain, and looked over his shoulder to see Derek with his jaw fixed on the alpha’s throat, shaking it to create a larger wound. It was clawing at his exposed underbelly,  and Theo knew before Derek did that he’d let go eventually, unable to take anymore. Ella looked up at him, her brown eyes frightened and he shifted into his beta form.

“I need you to be brave for me, okay?” he said picking her up.  He didn’t have time to comfort her. The alpha had broken free of Derek and was coming at them.  He pulled her out of the way of a fast swipe that dug its claws into the ground and threw them both down some metres away, covering her with his body completely.  “Arms in!” he said as the first slash came, followed by another, and then many more. The arrival of help was a blessing, but even the other Weres couldn’t keep the multitude of slashes and bites at bay.  

A bite through his shoulder had him wincing, the burn of it making him scream.  Beneath him, Ella sobbed, but he tightened his grip and wouldn’t let her go. When a slash went up his back, followed by another bite at his ribs, Theo started to feel light-headed.

A snarl he recognised as Derek’s on his right approached with high velocity and suddenly the alpha was gone and a slick, wet sound registered in his ears.  He dazedly looked to his left where the two had landed and saw the alpha choking on its own blood a few yards away and Derek collapsing right next to Theo on the blood-soaked ground.  

 _Derek’s blood_.

Derek wasn’t breathing so well and there were wet streaks on his black coat that smelled heavily of blood, far too much blood for it to be transfer.  The last thing Theo felt were warm hands on him, the platitudes of familiar voices relaxing him when he tensed up even more around the sobbing girl beneath him, and then he was out cold.


End file.
